All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
(Fremont County, WY) – 38-year-old Fremont County woman Renea Christine Ariks faces two attempted delivery of suboxone felony charges, one attendant circumstance and one substantial step. She also faces a third felony charge for taking controlled substances or liquor into jails, penal institutions or mental hospitals.
Each attempted delivery felony charge holds a maximum penalty of up to 10 years of imprisonment, and a fine of up to $10,000. Taking controlled substances or liquor into jails, penal institutions or mental hospitals has a maximum penalty of up to 3 years imprisonment, and a fine of up to $3,000.
Ariks waived her April 28th, preliminary hearing, and the case moved to District Court. Her arraignment was held on May 11th, where she pled not guilty.
On the morning of Wednesday, April 14th, two Fremont County Sheriff’s Office employees in charge of screening mail reportedly detected possible controlled substances in a card sent to Ariks’ incarcerated brother Charles.
After searching the greeting card, a package of suboxone 8mg/2mg sublingual film was reportedly discovered and seized for evidence. The suspected suboxone strip was later NIK tested presumptive positive for opiates.
Suboxone is a “schedule III controlled substance which contains buprenorphine and naloxone and is a prescription medicine used to treat adults who are addicted to or dependent on opioid drugs.”
It was also discovered that the return address name on the envelope was reportedly a family member of Arik’s friend.
Detectives then accessed the Fremont County Detention Centers’ inmate phone monitoring system, the Kinetic Console.
Once Charles’ phone calls were reviewed, it was found that a specific number had been called frequently, belonging to his sister.
Detectives began to monitor the calls between the two, made between April 9th, and 13th, of 2021.
Over the course of these monitored phone calls, there were reportedly seven references made to “getting the card in the mail, working on the card, strips, and who to get the packet from.”
During the phone calls, Ariks received detailed instructions on how to properly conceal the suboxone, who to get it from, and the times and dates Charles needed money put into his or other inmate’s accounts.
In another phone call, Ariks had also reportedly been given instructions by her brother requesting that she conceal more “stuff” in a stick of deodorant, which she agreed to do after they made plans for her to drop it off.
The phone calls were all downloaded to a CD-R disc and saved as evidence.
Ariks pled not guilty at her arraignment, and a jury trial has been set for August 16th.
To follow County 10’s coverage of this case as it progresses, click here.