Prosecutors cite narcotics in adding witness tampering charge for 'Rust' armorer

June 23 (UPI) -- Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer on the set of the film Rust, is now facing an additional tampering with evidence charge in connection to the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

According to an amended complaint, state prosecutors in Santa Fe, N.M., on Thursday alleged that Gutierrez-Reed "did transfer narcotics to another person with the intent to prevent the apprehension, prosecution or conviction of herself."

Jason Bowles, a lawyer for Gutierrez-Reed, responded quickly, calling the new filing "shocking," according to ABC News.

"It is shocking that 20 months of investigation, the special prosecutor now throws in a completely new charge against Ms. Gutierrez-Reed, with no prior notice or any witness statements, lab reports, or evidence to support it," Bowles said in a statement. "This comes on the heels of the state letting its lead investigator go, and the investigator raising serious concerns about the investigation in an email. This stinks to high heaven and is retaliatory and vindictive."

Gutierrez-Reed and Alec Baldwin were charged in New Mexico with involuntary manslaughter after Hutchins was shot and killed on the movie set.

In April, the charges against Baldwin were dropped.

Prosecutors have alleged that Gutierrez-Reed was hungover when she loaded a live bullet into the revolver used by Baldwin.

Witnesses told investigators Gutierrez-Reed "was drinking heavily and smoking marijuana in the evenings during the shooting of 'Rust,'" prosecutors said.

"It is likely that defendant [Gutierrez-Reed] was hungover when she inserted a live bullet into a gun that she knew was going to be used at some point by an actor while filming a shooting scene with other actors and crew members," prosecutors said in the filing in response to a May motion by Gutierrez-Reed's attorneys to dismiss an indictment against her.