Addict thinks prison is best

A 20-year-old admitted heroin addict told East Fork Justice Jim EnEarl she would be better off in prison.

Ashley Makara, accused of felony identity theft, said Wednesday she's been arrested 14 times in connection with her addiction.

"Prison might be the best for me," she said. "I think I've done everything else. I've been arrested 14 times and been through so many juvenile court programs, rehab programs and jail."

She was arrested May 6 in South Lake Tahoe accused of trying to obtain a driver's license at the Gardnerville Department of Motor Vehicles office with her sister's identification in April.

Makara told EnEarl she recently left a rehabilitation program in Pennsylvania and was clean for 13 months before she relapsed three weeks ago.

"I had no good relapse prevention program," she said. "At first I was using OxyContin and that just lead right back into my addiction."

She admitted injecting heroin in the veins in her hands.

Prosecutor Tom Gregory said investigators were preparing additional charges.

EnEarl appointed Kris Brown as Makara's attorney and set a May 20 court date.

"Don't you dare tell anybody else you think prison is the best thing for you," EnEarl said. "You have no idea what you're talking about. You haven't learned anything."