Laura Jean Nelson, 33, Minot, pleaded guilty on Thursday to dealing methamphetamine and heroin in Minot on July 2.

Her co-defendant, Zachrey James Zdroik, 32, Minot, who is accused of driving Nelson around to various locations to make drug deals and of hiding her drugs in his car, pleaded not guilty to various charges.

Co-defendant Kevin Marcel Conti, 27, Minot, who allegedly acted as the lookout for the operation, was said to be belligerent with Ward County deputies on Thursday and refused to leave the jail to attend a hearing on the charges. Judge Gary Lee then announced that Conti has waived his right to a probable cause hearing by refusing to come to court.

After the hearing was held, Ward County State’s Attorney Roza Larson acknowledged that there was no probable cause to charge the fourth co-defendant, Shyanna Haley Caudill, 24, with anything and the prosecution would drop all the charges against her.

Nelson and the three other people who were with her in the car all said most of the drugs belonged to Nelson. Caudill was in the car, but there was no proof she had anything to do with the drugs or the drug deals being made.

Nelson pleaded guilty to possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine, manufacture of heroin, and conspiracy to deliver methamphetamine, all Class B felonies. Judge Lee sentenced her to five years in prison, with a requirement that she serve two years, and three years of supervised probation on all of the charges, which are concurrent with another sentence she is already serving. Her parole has already been revoked on another drug dealing offense. Nelson will receive credit for 71 days served, plus 10 days off for good behavior. Lee also ordered her to pay court costs. The state dismissed Class C felony possession of drug paraphernalia and Class B felony conspiracy to deliver heroin charges against Nelson.

Zdroik pleaded not guilty to possession of heroin with intent to deliver while in possession of a firearm and possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver while in possession of a firearm, both Class A felonies, conspiracy to deliver methamphetamine and conspiracy to deliver heroin, both Class B felonies, and possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class C felony.

Conti is charged with possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine, manufacture of heroin, conspiracy to deliver meth and conspiracy to deliver heroin, all Class B felonies, and possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class C felony.

According to court documents and testimony at the hearing, a Ward County Narcotics Task Force officer followed Zdroik’s maroon Ford Expedition from Nelson’s residence to a known drug house in southwest Minot. The officer stopped the vehicle when it left the drug house and searched the vehicle after getting permission from Nelson’s probation officer. The Ford Expedition had a trim piece that enclosed the radio and temperature controls of the vehicle. The officer removed the trim piece and found a space behind the dash where various items were hidden, including methamphetamine, heroin, marijuana, and a digital scale. There was approximately 36 grams of meth and 8 grams of heroin. Zdroik also had a semi-automatic pistol in the vehicle.

Nelson, who does not have a valid driver’s license, had been selling drugs to people at various locations in town. Zdroik had been driving her around and hiding drugs in the vehicle. According to the officer who testified on Thursday, Conti had been acting as a lookout on July 2 and had been watching to see whether the police vehicle was paying attention to the drug deal being conducted by Nelson. Caudill was present in the vehicle but apparently had nothing to do with the actual drug dealing operation, which is why the charges against her were dismissed.