Woman arrested after police hear jail phone call recording with ‘coded language’

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BUCKHANNON – A Buckhannon woman was arrested recently after police listened to a recorded jail phone call in which she allegedly discussed selling a stolen motorcycling using ‘coded language.’

Deena Fulbright, 35, of Buckhannon, was arrested for receiving and transferring stolen goods, conspiracy and possession of a controlled substance.

According to the criminal complaint in the Upshur County Magistrate Clerk’s Office filed by investigating officer Cpl. Tyler Gordon with the Upshur County Sherriff’s Office, on Sept. 7, 2023, Fulbright allegedly conspired with her boyfriend to transfer a stolen 1978 Suzuki Motorcycle to an unknown person.

Fulbright and her boyfriend were “heard on a jail phone call recording speaking in coded language about the stolen motorcycle,” Gordon wrote in the complaint.

Fulbright allegedly said,“Your rebel flag, I got $200 off of that,” according to Gordon. Her boyfriend responded, “But it’s worth so much more than that.”

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Gordon believed this to be coded talk about a stolen Suzuki motorcycle with a gas tank that was painted like the confederate flag.

Fulbright also faces a charge stemming from an incident in February 2023.

According to the criminal complaint in the Upshur County Magistrate Clerk’s Office filed by investigating officer deputy Cole Bender with the Upshur County Sherriff’s Office, on Feb. 6, 2023, Bender, accompanied by Cpl. Chidester, observed a blue 1998 Ford F-150 with no license plate on Hickory Flat Road.

Chidester attempted to initiate a traffic stop on the vehicle when it crossed Sago Road onto Bill Grosse Road, but the truck allegedly drove behind a residence just off the road and the driver of the vehicle jumped out and ran into the woods.

Bender followed on foot into the woods, while Chidester secured the vehicle and its three passengers, later identified as Fulbright and two others. Bender shouted commands for the driver to stop, which he allegedly ignored.

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Officers located a glass container that allegedly contained “sharp objects, several Q tips, a glass smoking device with white residue and paper.”

“I could see traces of a white substance inside of the container, so for officer safety purposes, I waited until I was at my office to open it,” Bender wrote in the complaint.

When Bender opened the container, he found a small piece of notebook paper folded up.

“Inside was a white powdery substance which field tested positive for fentanyl, however lab tested positive for methamphetamine,” Bender wrote. “The methamphetamine found in the eye glass container, was located in the purse belonging to Deena Fulbright.”

Bail was set at $25,000 cash or surety by Upshur County Magistrate Mark Davis.

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The potential penalty for receiving and transferring stolen goods is confinement in the state penitentiary for not less than one nor more than 10 years, or in the discretion of the court, confinement in jail for not more than one year and a fine of not more than $2,500. 

The potential penalty for conspiracy is confinement in the penitentiary for not less than one nor more than five years, a fine of not more than $10,000, or both.

The potential penalty for possession of a controlled substance (meth) is confinement in jail for not less than 90 days nor more than six months, a fine of not more than $1,000, or both.

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Kelley Tierney
My Buckhannon

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