DEPUTIES SAY MORE WOMEN BEING CHARGED WITH DRUG SALES

DURHAM -- Deputies with the Durham County Sheriff's
Anti-Crime/Narcotics Unit say that they are arresting more women for
the sale of crack and cocaine than in previous years.

"It's getting more and more redundant," said Sgt. Stan Harris, "Now
more women are involved in the drug game."

One of the women Harris was referring to is Latisha Nicole Manning, a
21-year-old mother of one.

On Monday, deputies arrested Manning on charges of possessing 0.99
ounce of crack cocaine, 4.27 ounces of powder cocaine, half of an
ounce of marijuana and 41 tablets of the painkiller Oxycodone.

Lt. Derek O'Mary, who heads the unit, said that Manning is a
"midlevel player" in Durham's drug trade who provides a primarily
Caucasian customer base with a substantial amount of crack and powder cocaine.

O'Mary couldn't say if he knows where Manning is getting her drugs,
but said that he and his unit have been aware of her presence in the
drug market for more than two years.

"We arrested her [in 2004] and then she was kind of off the radar for
a little while," O'Mary said, adding that the deputy who originally
arrested Manning was "keeping an eye out" for her.

The deputy's determination paid off when the unit was able to find
Manning, allegedly "setting up shop" at 2505 Ellis Road.

"Once she got established there was a lot of traffic," O'Mary said.
"I had [members of the unit] in the woods and then over there taking
pictures of cars coming up and making transactions."

O'Mary said he allowed for some time to pass to allow for their
suspect to get comfortable before authorities stopped a vehicle
leaving the residence Monday afternoon and found cocaine on the
vehicle's two occupants. The discovery provided the deputies with
probable cause to search the residence and arrest Manning.

When deputies stopped Manning later the same day, she was leaving the
residence with her small child, O'Mary said. While Manning apparently
didn't have cocaine in the car with her, O'Mary said that she had
empty baggies hanging out of her pocket, leading deputies to believe
she may have destroyed or hidden evidence.

After arresting Manning, deputies searched her residence where they
found a stash hidden in part of the molding around an interior door.

Often, O'Mary said, deputies are able to "turn" suspects by offering
them a reduced charge in exchange for information about the
individual's supplier.

But women, in both O'Mary's and Harris' experience, are less likely
to give information.

"If they have [information], they don't tell," Harris said.

Manning was no different, according to O'Mary.

"She absolutely refused to give us info," he said. "She clammed up as
soon as the cuffs were on."

According to a 2005 study funded by the U.S. Department of Justice
that addressed gender differences in the drug market, women are more
likely than men to receive cocaine and crack cocaine as a gift, and
more likely to conduct business within the home.

Women are also more likely to obtain drugs from family members or
friends, according to the study, and thus are less likely to give
authorities the names of their suppliers.

"A lot of times we find young males are providing them [with the
drugs] and then the women get hung up on the money," Harris said.

Manning was charged with trafficking in cocaine, possession with
intent to sell or distribute cocaine, possession with intent to sell
or deliver crack cocaine, possession with intent to sell or deliver
marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and maintaining a
dwelling for the purpose of selling a controlled substance.

After refusing to tell the deputies her child's name, she was also
charged with resisting a public officer.

Manning was originally held at the Durham County Jail on $2 million
bond, but was released when that bond was reduced to $750,000 Tuesday.