A Denver sheriff’s deputy faces federal drug possession charges after she was arrested with a former inmate from the jail where she still is employed.

Sylvia Montoya was arrested Thursday on two charges of possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute after she was found with methamphetamine and more than 1.75 pounds of crack cocaine, federal court records show. She also faces a charge of maintaining a Lakewood apartment that federal authorities allege was a hub for selling the drugs.

Denver public safety officials first started investigating Montoya on March 29 after learning that she was having a relationship with Timothy Spikes, a known felon, as first reported by Fox 31. The two were pulled over by Denver police the day before. Montoya had not told her supervisors about her relationship with Spikes, Denver Public Safety spokeswoman Kelli Christensen said.

Spikes previously was convicted of kidnapping, assault, harassment, felony drug possession, trespassing and domestic violence, online court records show.

Montoya was put on paid investigatory leave that day. While on leave, Montoya had to be in her home during her regularly assigned shifts and be available to answer calls and emails, Christensen said.

She was placed on unpaid leave on May 29 after she was arrested by federal officials. She earned $9,468 while on paid investigatory leave, Christensen said.

“Now that she has been arrested and is in jail, she is unable to perform the duties of her job and therefore now is on unpaid leave,” Christensen said.

Spikes faces additional charges including possessing a gun in the commission of a drug trafficking crime, possession of a gun as a felon and intent to distribute heroin.

Montoya started working as a civilian for the Denver Sheriff Department in 2012. She became a sworn deputy in 2016 and worked at the Downtown Detention Center, Christensen said.

Montoya and Spikes appeared in court Friday. If Montoya is convicted on all three counts, she could face a sentence of up to 100 years imprisonment and $10.5 million in fines.