Carson City jail inmates booked in alleged 'cheeking' prescription drug scheme

Two Carson City Jail inmates were booked Friday on drug charges following an investigation into allegedly concealing prescription medication, according to a sheriff's office booking report.

Shawn Siney, 42, was booked for suspicion of sales, furnishing of controlled substance, diazepam, to a prisoner. Nicholas Whitton, 25, was booked for suspicion of possession of a schedule 4 controlled substance, use and under the influence of a schedule 4 substance, both felonies and gross misdemeanor suspicion of possession of a dangerous drug without a prescription.

According to the Carson City Sheriff's Office booking report, Siney is alleged to have taken his medications, concealed them in his mouth, also known as "cheeking" and then gave them to inmate Whitton. Among the medications were diazepam, a schedule 4 controlled substance. The others were imodium and ibuprofen.

The incident was on video, which showed Siney getting his medication by showing his wristband to a deputy. The deputy placed the medications in his right hand, in which Siney is seen placing them in his mouth, and then placed a white paper cup to his lips and then quickly conceals his mouth and then takes a drink of water, the report states.

He then walks away and sits down, where Whitton then stands up and walks over to Siney, reaches down and grabs something out of his hands and then quickly walks away, the report states.

When questioned separately, under Miranda, both men said the handoff was candy. Whitton was adamant that he did not receive a pill from Siney. While speaking, the deputy observed the man's pupils were overly dilated. He was tested, with a presumptive positive for benzodiazepines, which diazepam is included in the schedule drug class.

In a Mirandized interview, Siney was advised of the video footage and how his version of events were different than what was on video.

After being questioned and then caught in a lie, Siney admitted to giving Whitton the diazepam pill, saying that he placed the diazepam pill in his cheek and then swallowed the other pills while at the medication cart. He told officers he traded the diazepam for coffee, the arrest report states.

Siney was booked for suspicion of sales, furnishing a controlled substance to a prisoner. Bail: $20,000. Whitton was booked for suspicion of possession of a schedule 4 controlled substance, use and under the influence of a controlled substance and gross misdemeanor possession of a dangerous drug without a prescription. Bail amount listed: $7,500.

In other arrests:
— A 31-year-old Carson City man was arrested Saturday, 11:50 p.m. in the area of Monte Rosa and Woodside for gross misdemeanor suspicion of obstruction, inference with an officer.

According to the arrest report, the man, a passenger in a vehicle who appeared intoxicated, repeatedly refused to provide identification following a traffic stop. The suspect would not initially comply with being asked to exit the vehicle and then appeared to "square off" with a deputy once he did leave the vehicle. The officer believed the man was attempting to fight him and continued to argue with the officer.

The suspect then complied to a check of his person for weapons, but then became verbally uncooperative and aggressive again. He was detained and placed into handcuffs, and continued to be aggressive, attempting to head-butt the deputy, the report states.

During a check of his person, officers located a screwdriver in the man's left front pocket as well as a wallet with the man's identification. The man appeared agitated and questioned why the officer asked for his identification and then began to yell profanities and continued to be non-compliant, standing up when asked to sit down, according to the report.

He was booked for suspicion of obstruction, interference with an officer, a gross misdemeanor offense. Bail; $2,500.

— A 37-year-old Carson City woman was arrested Saturday, Jan. 23, for misdemeanor suspicion of DUI and misdemeanor hit and run of an occupied vehicle.

According to the arrest report deputies responded to the area of South Carson and East Fifth for a report of a possible intoxicated driver being involved in a crash and then leaving the scene. The woman allegedly crashed her vehicle into another vehicle that was stopped at a stoplight.

The two pulled over to exchange information. The female suspect did not provide insurance information and then drove away. The victim driver was able to provide information about the suspect and a vehicle description.

The suspect vehicle was located and a traffic stop was made. The driver identified herself to the deputy and said she had been involved in a minor collision at South Carson and Fifth Street and had exchanged information with the other driver, the report states.

The deputy could smell an odor of alcohol on her breath as she spoke. The woman said she had not consumed alcohol when asked. She agreed to field sobriety tests and was unable to satisfactorily complete the tests. She was placed under arrest, in which she then became belligerent, the report states. She declined all other testing. A telephonic search warrant was applied for and granted by a Carson City judge for two samples of the woman's blood. Bail: $1,774.

— A 34-year-old Carson City man, Mark Alan Wolf, was arrested Jan. 23, for suspicion of two counts possession of a controlled substance (heroin and methamphetamine) and four misdemeanor offenses, two counts possession of drug paraphernalia (needles, metal spoons with burnt bottoms and a meth pipe), speeding and obstructed windshield. Total bail amount listed: $8,618.

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.