A Jonesboro woman has been sentenced to five years in prison after her three children tested positive for illegal drugs, according to court records.
Latrica Marie Upshaw, 30, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to three counts of introducing a Schedule IV/V controlled substance into another person’s body. Second Judicial Circuit Court Judge Scott Ellington sentenced Upshaw to 60 months in the Arkansas Division of Correction, with an additional 60 months of suspended imposition of sentence for each count, all to run concurrently.
The court also dropped three related charges of introducing a Schedule I/II controlled substance into another person’s body, according to the sentencing order. Upshaw has received credit for 253 days already served in jail and will be required to pay court costs, fees, and fines in $50 monthly installments upon her release from prison.
Police arrested Upshaw on February 17, after her children were placed in the care of Child Protective Services (CPS). Following the children's removal, CPS arranged for medical evaluations and drug testing.
“Results returned on March 3, 2026, revealed that all three children tested positive for methamphetamine, cocaine, and THC,” said Detective Bruce Wright in an affidavit.
During a police interview under Miranda rights, Upshaw denied using methamphetamine or cocaine but admitted to smoking marijuana inside her home.
The affidavit also noted that Upshaw’s five-year-old child would reportedly gather her two younger siblings, including a 10-month-old infant, and move them to another room whenever Upshaw began smoking marijuana.
The case highlights ongoing concerns about child welfare in cases involving substance abuse. The children remain in state care under CPS supervision.