Carson City man caught jimmying car door jailed for meth trafficking with intent to sell

A 55-year-old Carson City man was arrested Tuesday on multiple felony drug charges including suspicion of trafficking methamphetamine and possession with intent to sell, a sheriff’s deputy said.

Mark Reginald MacArthur was taken into custody at 8:23 a.m. in the 400 block of North Carson Street.

According to the arrest report, a deputy was dispatched to the back parking lot area of the Laxalt Building in downtown Carson City for a suspicious person. Dispatch advised there was a man wearing all black who was trying to jimmy-open a red Mazda Miata car door.

The deputy arrived and found two Nevada Highway Patrol troopers on scene talking with the MacArthur. A NHP trooper advised the man was actively using the jimmy to try to open the driver side door of the red Mazda. The officers told the man to drop the jimmy.

The man immediately stated the car was his friend’s and he was there to help him out. At approximately 8:15 a.m. a deputy detained the man. The car did not have license plates. A deputy ran the VIN through dispatch. Deputies asked dispatch to try and contact the registered owner. Dispatch advised the man was not answering his telephone. Deputies ran a wants and warrants check through dispatch on MacArthur who had a confirmed warrant out of Carson City Justice Court. At 8:23 a.m. he was taken into custody for the warrant.

While conducting a search incident to the arrest, deputies found plastic baggies that contained a substance consistent with methamphetamine, a glass pipe, a digital scale and small plastic baggies consistent with packaging narcotics inside the suspect’s backpack that he was wearing when he was stopped by officers.

MacArthur was subsequently charged for possession of drug paraphernalia, two counts, possession of a controlled substance for sale and trafficking a controlled substance. The methamphetamine was weighed later with a registered result of 5.5 grams. He was also charged with attempted burglary for trying to break into the car and possession of burglary tools.

While booking the above mentioned property in an evidence locker, a deputy discovered a plastic baggie with two pills in it, one was verified as morphine sulfate and the other was not identified. The officer placed a request to a lab to examine the pill. There was also a container of hashish oil that weighed 80.4 grams. Total bail amount listed: $64,774.

In other arrests:
— A 26-year-old Carson City man was arrested Tuesday, 11:54 a.m. for a misdemeanor failure to appear warrant issued Jan. 7, 2019 out of Carson City Justice Court. Bail: $500.

— A 28-year-old Carson City man was arrested Tuesday, 10:18 a.m. in the area of Sherman Lane and Bel Aire Way for two misdemeanor warrants issued Jan. 22, 2019 and misdemeanor obstructing an officer.

According to the arrest report, a deputy responded to a Fairmont Way residence for a report of suspicious circumstances. The reporting party stated that man was inside a vacant residence. The homeowner had passed away and the residence had become a haven for squatters. A deputy arrived at the location and checked the perimeter of the property and located an open door on the east side of the residence.

The officer requested a second deputy to respond to assist with clearing the home. A security search was conducted and no persons were found inside. The deputy secured the front door of the residence by locking a dead bolt.

Deputies then spoke with construction workers who were at a residence directly across the street from the home. The deputy asked them if they saw anyone in the area. They said they saw a man exit the property five minutes prior.

A search of the area was done and the suspect was located at the intersection of Sherman Lane and Bel Aire. He was detained and in the process of the interview gave officers a different name than his real identity. He was arrested for outstanding warrants and for obstructing an officer. Bail: $6,412.

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.