A woman initially charged with methamphetamine possession was exonerated weeks later after lab tests proved her innocence. Ashley Gabrielle Huff, 23, had been arrested when a police officer mistakenly identified dried residue on a spoon found in her vehicle as meth. The officer from the Gainesville Police Department spotted the spoon and, for reasons not fully explained, believed it to contain illegal substances.
Huff consistently maintained that the residue on the spoon was nothing more than SpaghettiO’s sauce, but this didn’t prevent her from being jailed. Arrested on July 2, 2014, she spent a month in custody before lab tests cleared her of the charges. Hall County Assistant Public Defender Chris van Rossem questioned how such a mistake could happen.
“She insisted it was SpaghettiO’s,” he explained. “From what I understand, she was a passenger in a car with a spoon nearby. The officer, for some reason, believed it contained drug residue. She consistently maintained it was just what she said.”
Van Rossem noted that after eating with the spoon, anyone would rightfully assert their innocence. He added, “The unfortunate part is that she was likely prepared to accept a felony charge simply to resolve the case and get out of jail, despite maintaining her innocence throughout.”
Huff had no prior arrests before this incident, which deeply affected her life, according to reports. During her time in jail, she missed her child’s birthday and lost her job at Waffle House. At the time, Huff was reportedly considering legal action against the police department, although it’s unclear whether she followed through.
The story has sparked widespread discussion on social media, leaving many baffled by the situation. “Any cop who mistakes SpaghettiO’s sauce for meth shouldn’t have a job,” one Reddit user commented. Another joked, “I’m going to start carrying spoons with dried yogurt residue just to wait for an arrest. A few days in jail for a big payout? Why not?” A third user questioned, “How can someone be so incompetent to mistake SpaghettiO’s sauce for meth?”