Police: Woman Swallowed Xanax, Hid 34 Pills in Body Cavity

JONESBORO, Ark. — A woman is accused of swallowing a pill to keep police from finding it during a traffic stop, and jail staff later reported finding approximately 34 hydrocodone tablets concealed in a body cavity, according to a Craighead County probable cause affidavit.

Mika R. Gilliam faces allegations of possession of a Schedule I or II controlled substance, excluding methamphetamine or cocaine, in an amount less than 2 grams, and tampering with physical evidence. Both are listed as Class D felonies in first appearance documents.

The incident began Oct. 10, 2026, when Jonesboro Police Officer Martin stopped a gray SUV on Phillip Drive because a broken taillight was emitting white light, according to the affidavit.

The SUV pulled into the Candlewood Suites parking lot and continued moving slowly before stopping, the officer wrote. As Martin approached, he reported seeing Gilliam, the front-seat passenger, shifting in her seat and breathing heavily.

Martin removed the occupants and deployed his K-9 partner, Tiger, for an exterior sniff. The dog alerted, but a search of the vehicle found no illegal items, according to the affidavit. Officers also searched the occupants and reported finding no illegal items.

As the stop was ending, Martin received information that Gilliam might have concealed contraband in a body cavity, the affidavit states. The document does not identify the source of that information.

Gilliam was advised of her Miranda rights and agreed to speak without an attorney present. She denied having anything on her person but said she had possessed a tablet she described as Xanax, according to the affidavit.

She told Martin she swallowed the tablet when he began pulling the vehicle over so it would not be found, the officer wrote.

Martin arrested Gilliam for alleged evidence tampering and took her to the Craighead County Detention Center. During a search there, jail staff found a bag containing approximately 34 hydrocodone tablets concealed in her vagina, according to the affidavit.

At an Oct. 12 first appearance, Judge Thomas Fowler found probable cause to detain Gilliam pending further proceedings and set bond at $10,000 cash or surety.

Her next court appearance is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Dec. 16 at the Craighead County Courthouse.

All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.