Lady with loud muffler accused of hiding drugs in her dentures

A Bradenton woman who was hiding drugs inside her dentures was arrested on Tuesday night. At about 9:30 p.m., Theresa DeMarco, 56, was driving on First Street when a deputy stopped her for a loud muffler.

When the deputy spoke with DeMarco and the passenger in her car, Mary E. Winchell, they "appeared extremely nervous." The deputy gave her a written warning for the muffler, searched the car and found a hydromorphone pill where Winchell was seated. She was arrested.



Winchell then told the deputy that DeMarco kept walking away from the car to destroy some crack cocaine and that she was hiding more pills in her dentures. When the deputy confronted DeMarco, she removed the pills from her dentures and swallowed them. She was taken to Manatee Memorial Hospital for evaluation.

Winchell and DeMarco were booked into the Manatee County jail. DeMarco was charged with possession of a controlled substance and tampering with evidence. She was being held at the jail on $2,000 bond. Winchell, 36, was charged with possession of a controlled substance.