Iowa City man charged after acquaintances leave home with baby, marijuana

Iowa City police have arrested an acquaintance of a woman who tried to use a baby to smuggle marijuana out of an Iowa City residence to avoid charges during a narcotics search.

Darrian D. Jefferson, 23, of 2505 Bartelt Rd., Apt. 1B, was charged Tuesday with keeping a drug house, permitting a gathering for the use of drugs, possession of marijuana, an Iowa drug tax stamp violation, tampering with a witness and three counts of child endangerment.

According to criminal complaints, police arrived at Jefferson's residence on Oct. 23 after learning there were drugs. Police said Kenyatta Taylor, 21, and Alicia Reed, 21, tried to leave carrying a 3-month-old baby. When officers asked to look through the baby's blankets, several bags of marijuana fell out, police said.

Police said Taylor's children - ages 1, 2, and 3 - were in the apartment at the time, along with Reed's other 3-year-old child and Jefferson's 1- and 2-year-old children.

After arresting Reed and Taylor, a search warrant was executed on Oct. 25 at Jefferson's residence where more than 42.5 grams of separately packaged marijuana were found, along with multiple packages hidden under the couch, a digital scale, and packaging materials and other items used for dealing drugs, according to the complaint.

According to criminal complaints, a witness who had assisted police saw Jefferson and two friends loitering in front of her building on Oct. 25 after being warned about trespassing. The following day, the witness told police Jefferson threatened to assault her.

Police said both Taylor and Jefferson had initially referred to Jefferson under a false identity, which led to Taylor being charged with obstruction.

Jefferson was in the Johnson County Jail Wednesday on a $30,000 cash-only bond.