Woman now in custody after going missing during meth trafficking trial

BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) - A woman is back in custody after deputies said she left her trial just before the jury returned a guilty verdict.

Ashley Yvonne Peters, 37, was guilty of drug trafficking Wednesday and never returned after deliberations began. The court judge issued a capias for her arrest. She was out on bond at the time, with an echo monitor that deputies said she cut off before leaving the courthouse.

According to the sheriff’s office, Peters was found in Panama City Beach days after fleeing with drugs in her possession.

“She will be facing the charge for absconding from the court as well as the sentence that’s imposed on her from being found guilty for trafficking and meth, in addition to the additional drug charges,” Bay County Sheriff Tommy Ford said.

Peters was originally arrested after being involved in a traffic stop in 2020, where a K-9 had reportedly detected the odor of narcotics coming from the car.

Before the officer could search her, officials say Peters admitted to having an ounce of meth in her underwear. When a search was done, the officer found a digital scale, syringes, and other paraphernalia.

Peters was charged with trafficking in meth, possession of paraphernalia, and tampering with physical evidence, and is now considered a fugitive.