Accused meth trafficker charged with bribery

A woman accused of trafficking methamphetamine was charged this week with bribing or intimidating witnesses to influence testimony in her upcoming trial.

The new charges against Kimberly Lopes, 28, came a few days after Aaron John Winton, 41, of Cameron Park, Calif., also was accused of similar offenses.

Lopes, being held without bail in Douglas County Jail on four felony drug charges, appeared Wednesday before East Fork Justice Jim EnEarl.

She is charged with principal to bribing or intimidating a witness to influence testimony and bribing or intimidating a witness to influence testimony.

EnEarl set her next hearing Oct. 7.

Winton also appeared Wednesday with lawyer Robert Morris who asked for two weeks' continuance for further discovery in the case.

In addition to their charges, both suspects are on parole holds with the California Department of Corrections.

According to court documents filed by an investigator for the district attorney's office, Winton and Lopes are accused of bribing two codefendants who were set to testify in her trial.

In telephone conversations recorded at the jail, Winton and Lopes discuss the case and what might happen if the witnesses can be convinced to lie on the stand, or not testify.

According to the report, Lopes helped Winton locate names, addresses and telephone numbers of the witnesses.

She is facing four felonies stemming from an April 9, 2008, incident at Stateline in which 29 grams of methamphetamine exchanged hands.

She is charged with sales of a controlled substance, attempted trafficking, trafficking and being an habitual felon.

Lopes pleaded not guilty to the charges and was to go on trial Tuesday before District Judge Michael Gibbons.

The trial date was postponed after Lopes was appointed a new lawyer Sept. 14 to avoid a conflict with a codefendant who might testify in the case. A new trial date has not been set.

Her codefendants, who received probation and admission to Western Regional Drug Court in plea agreements with the district attorney, said they were approached by Winton and asked to lie on the stand.

As part of their plea agreements, the witnesses promised to testify truthfully if called as witnesses.

One witness said Winton offered to pay her rent and drug court fees if she would testify that she was under the influence and couldn't remember what happened at Stateline.

A second witness told a similar story.

Lopes and Winton were arrested in August 2008 after more than a year on the run.

South Lake Tahoe police said the two were suspected methamphetamine dealers sought by law enforcement agencies from the Bay Area to Nevada.