Exclusive: Woman Held Overseas For 'Drugs That Weren't Mine'

DAVIS (CBSLA.com) — A Southland veterinarian traveling the world to help animals is now the one in need of aid.

Stacey Addison spoke to CBS2/KCAL9's Brittney Hopper just after having been released from a jail in Southeast Asia for a crime she said she didn't commit.

She's now stranded in the small country of East Timor, near Indonesia, after being named a suspect in a drug trafficking incident.

"Mostly, I'm just afraid of how long it's going to take and what's going to happen," said Addison via Skype. "Initially, I wasn't that worried, I knew I didn't have drugs. They searched me. They tested my urine. Everything was negative, so I thought it's OK, it will be OK -- but it's not."

The nightmare began when she had to renew her visa. She hired a driver, who took on another passenger, a common practice in East Timor.

When the driver made a stop at a DHL shipping store to pick up a package police immediately surrounded the vehicle -- turns out the package contained methamphetamine.

Addison was jailed on suspicion of aiding a drug trafficking scheme, something she said she had no hand in.

A lifelong friend of Addison's has been in contacting her via text and trying to drum up support for her on Facebook.

"You know, in the 20 years I've known her, I've never seen her get into trouble for anything," pal Nikki Green said of Addison, who graduated top of her class at UC Davis.

Addison spent five days in jail. But police have taken her passport and said they won't give it back until the investigation is complete, That could take up to a year.

"The problem is no one seems to know what can be done," Addison said.

In the meantime, the captive traveler has hired an attorney. The U.S. Embassy knows about her situation but said they can't interfere with a foreign government's investigation.

For more updates on Addison and to learn how you can help visit the "Please Help Stacey" Facebook page.