Four jailed after Carson City sheriff’s drug teams bust large meth sales operation

A traffic stop in Carson City on Thursday led to the discovery a large amount of methamphetamine and led police to an Imperial Way apartment where more meth and other drugs were found, a Carson City sheriff’s deputy said.

Four people were arrested on felony drug trafficking charges, 42 grams of methamphetamine was seized as well as pills, drug paraphernalia and cash. According to the arrest report, officers with the Carson City Sheriff’s Office Special Enforcement Team and Tri-County Gang Unit learned of the residence in the 3300 block of Imperial Way during the investigation following the traffic stop and arrest.

Among those in custody on felony methamphetamine and drug trafficking charges are Christian Kai Minter and Caitlyn Joan Beattie, both 19, Russell Vernon Friesen, 58, and William Weisner Hornbeck, 45. Three of the suspects are listed as living at the apartment on Imperial Way.

A search warrant was granted by a Carson City judge and the home was searched early Friday morning leading to the discovery of multiple bags of methamphetamine, multiple loaded syringes, multiple Xanax and Alprazolam pills packaged in ziplock baggies for sale, several small electronic scales, an unlocked safe containing a pay-and-owe ledger for sales, and a large amount of cash.

Eighteen grams of methamphetamine was seized at the Imperial Way residence. It was learned that the 24 grams of meth recovered after the Thursday traffic stop originated at the Imperial Way apartment, part of the larger drug operation, deputies said.

Two women, Minter and Beattie, were inside the home and arrested. Meanwhile, Friesen was not at the residence when the search warrant was served. He was found in his vehicle, a green Jeep Cherokee, near a casino in the 3600 block of Goni Road. Deputies made a high risk traffic stop and ordered Friesen out of the vehicle. Friesen attempted to punch the arresting officer twice with closed fists before being taken to the ground and handcuffed. He was taken to the hospital for superficial abrasions and then to jail.

Beattie and Minter were arrested on the following charges: Maintaining a drug house, possession of a controlled substance, trafficking schedule 1 controlled substances, conspiracy to traffic controlled substances and possession of prescription drugs without a prescription. Beattie’s bail is $105,000. Minter also faces a charge of violation of pre-trial supervision. Her total bail is $108,000.

Friesen faces the following charges: level 2 drug trafficking, possession of methamphetamine, possession for sales, maintaining a drug house, possession of dangerous prescription drugs without a prescription, all felonies, and misdemeanor obstructing and resisting an officer with violence. Bail: $70,412.

Hornbeck is charged with three felonies: Trafficking methamphetamine, possession of a controlled substance and possession for sales. He also faces three misdemeanor warrants out of Reno and Carson City justice courts, and driving on a suspended license. Bail: $50,535.

A 44-year-old Carson City man was jailed at the apartment complex after officers learned he had a misdemeanor warrant for his arrest, violation of a suspended sentence. The incident remains under investigation.

All information for the crime log (unless otherwise noted) comes from the arrest reports supplied by the Carson City Sheriff's Office, and is considered by law to be public information. All subjects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The policy of Carson Now is to name anyone who is arrested for a felony offense.