Hospital Visit Leads To The Arrest In Connection With Drug Sales And Use

A call to Yavapai Regional Medical Center recently led to multiple arrests in connection with illegal drug use and sales. Yavapai County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to the hospital last Monday regarding 30-year-old Thandan Hammel from Prescott. He was admitted for an apparent opioid overdose. While medical staff were removing his clothes, they found heroin, meth and Xanax pills, possibly containing fentanyl. Hammel was stabilized and cooperated with authorities. Detectives learned Hammel’s girlfriend, 25-year-old Alexis Wilkes from Prescott, dropped him off at the hospital and left, but returned a short time later. Detectives searched through Hammel’s phone and found many text messages related to the sale of a large amount of illegal drugs. A search of Wilkes’ phone found additional drug sale text messages. Investigators went to their apartment and found numerous items including an ounce of black tar heroin, meth, fentanyl and marijuana. Wilkes was arrested that afternoon and Hammel was taken into custody the next day after he was released from the hospital. The investigation led to more arrests with others involved in drug sales. Last Wednesday, deputies arrested 24-year-old Alex Klingensmith, 29-year-old Aaron Mauger and 30-year-old Sheali Mandik on numerous drug charges after a search of a Prescott Valley apartment. All five suspects remain in the Camp Verde Detention Center on bond.