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Valley methamphetamine bust totals $400,000

Staff report
Valdene Elaine Roberts
ALL |

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Street Enforcement Team, working in conjunction with the Tri-Net Task Force, ended a monthlong investigation Saturday night with three arrests and the seizure of nine pounds of methamphetamine worth $400,000.

It marked the largest seizure of methamphetamine ever in Carson Valley.

“The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office is concernced that this seizure may be a sign that methampetamine is making a comeback locally,” said sheriff’s spokesman Sgt. Jim Halsey. “In recent months, arrests and seizures of methampetamine had been dropping, which raised hopes that methampetamine had lost its appeal with local drug users.”



Valdene Elaine Roberts, 57, of Gardnerville; Nayo Orozco-Ortiz, 28, of Carson City; and Crispin Pacheco, 35, of Carson City were arrested at a car wash in Gardnerville after investigators received several tips about an incoming shipment of methamphetamine.

Acting on the tips, along with intelligence information that had been developed about this alleged drug-trafficking organization, investigators set up surveillance at the car wash and arrested the three suspects.



All three are charged with trafficking in a controlled substance and conspiracy to violate the Uniform Controlled Substance Act. Bail was set at $115,000 each.

Orozco-Ortiz and Pacheco have additional holds put on them from the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service, authorities said.

“The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office is intensely focused on combating illegal drug use, and uncompromising law enforcement action will continue in that effort,” Halsey said.


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