A Traverse City woman is facing multiple drug-related charges following a weekend arrest during a traffic stop.

Michigan State Police troopers followed a vehicle with a defective headlight into a parking lot on US-31 in East Bay Township at approximately 4:50am Saturday. As the troopers were turning their vehicle
around, they saw the driver exit her car and drop something. She then began shuffling her feet around. The troopers spoke with the woman and asked what she had dropped, and she said nothing. After being asked a second time, she lifted her foot and troopers saw a crushed glass pipe.

The woman was identified as 39-year-old Nina Francine Orsini from Traverse City. Orsini was asked to place her hands on the hood of the patrol vehicle. She complied, but as one of the troopers began searching her, she started arguing and removed her right hand from the hood of the patrol vehicle. She made movements toward her coat pocket as the trooper continued to instruct her to stop. The trooper removed her right hand from her coat pocket and placed her in handcuffs. 

One of the troopers standing outside Orsini’s vehicle noticed a loaded syringe with the plunger extended in the center cup holder. They also found a clear plastic baggie containing methamphetamine under the push bumper of the patrol vehicle where Orsini had been reaching inside her coat pocket. Troopers found another loaded syringe and a spoon inside Orsini’s purse. The contents of both syringes tested positive for methamphetamine.

Orsini was lodged in the Grand Traverse County Jail. She was arraigned this week in 86th District Court on one count of maintaining a drug house, one count of possession of methamphetamine, and one count of tampering with evidence. Her bond was set at $5,000/10 percent cash surety. Her next scheduled court appearance is on December 12.