Mountain Home woman picks up 18 felony charges for ‘cheeking’ her meds, giving to other inmates

A Mountain Home woman has picked up 18 felony charges for “cheeking” her medicine and then giving it to other inmates while she was being held in the Baxter County Detention Center. Thirty-four-year-old Melissa Michelle Knee was originally arrested July 15 on a misdemeanor theft of property charge.

According to the probable cause affidavit from the Baxter County Sheriff’s Office, another inmate told one of the jailers Knee had been “cheeking” her suboxone tablets, bringing them into the jail pod and distributing them to other inmates.

Investigators started watching video and determined Knee was given her medication and told to sit on the bench while the tablets dissolved in her mouth. She would comply until the jailer looked away and then remove the pill from her cheek and put it in her bra.

During questioning, Knee admitted to “cheeking” the pills, but denied giving the pills to other inmates.

The investigator noted while they believe this happened numerous times, they only have video evidence of it occurring 18 times.

Knee is facing 18 felony charges of furnishing prohibited articles. She also faces a penalty enhancement for being a habitual offender. Her bond on the charges is $15,000.

She was originally arrested by Mountain Home Police on a theft of property charge July 15.

According to the probable cause affidavit, Knee had purchased groceries from the Harp’s store on U.S. Highway 62/412 West, but put a package of candy in her purse she did not pay for and left the store.

An officer made a stop on her vehicle and arrested her. The candy, valued at $6.48, was returned to the store. Knee admitted to the theft.

Knee also had a revocation warrant for her arrest for violating her probation from a previous case.

Knee is free after posting $15,705 bond.

PREVIOUS ARRESTS

Knee has four previous felony arrests in Baxter County dating back to 2012.

In 2012, Knee was arrested on six counts of delivery of a controlled substance and two penalty enhancements for proximity to a school or church. In a plea deal with the state, the proximity charges were nolle prossed, or dropped, and she was sentenced to five years of probation in February of 2018. But, five months later, the case against her was dismissed without prejudice.

Knee was arrested in 2022 on two charges of delivery of methamphetamine after a confidential informant made two controlled buys from her. In a plea deal with the state, Knee was sentenced to five years of probation.

Knee was arrested again in December of 2022 following a traffic stop when methamphetamine was found in her vehicle. In January of 2024, she was sentenced to six years of probation.

Knee has one case making its way through the court system following her arrest in September of 2025. That arrest stemmed again from a confidential informant making a controlled buy from her. Knee is facing four counts of deliver of methamphetamine, one of them a class Y felony, in that case. A jury trial is set for Oct. 19.

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