Traffic stop in Carson City leads to 5 pounds of meth, half pound of heroin
Two people face drug trafficking and transportation charges after deputies recovered more than 5 pounds of methamphetamine and around a half pound of heroin during a traffic stop early Wednesday morning, a Carson City sheriff’s deputy said.
Arrested were Kimberly Ann Lopes, 36, and Danny Lyle Jensen II, 38, both of Las Vegas. Each face two level 3 charges of trafficking controlled substances, 1 count each of transportation of controlled substances, and 1 count each of possession of controlled substances for sales.
According to the arrest report a deputy was on patrol just after 1 a.m. in the area of College Parkway and Northgate Lane and observed a Buick sedan traveling westbound on College Parkway, pacing it at between 42 to 45 mph in a 35 mph zone. The vehicle continued to speed until the driver turned southbound on Imperial Way.
The deputy followed the vehicle and observed it did not come to a complete stop at a stop sign. The deputy made a traffic stop near the intersection of Imperial way and Nye Lane, and spoke with the driver, Lopes and passenger Jensen.
Both the driver and passenger appeared nervous, with both their hands shaking as they looked for vehicle information and identification, according to the arrest report. The deputy asked where they were going. The woman replied they were traveling to Reno to visit her brother in Damonte Ranch. They were coming from Las Vegas and decided to stop for the night at a motel in Carson City.
The woman handed the deputy an expired proof of insurance. As the deputy leaned inside the car he observed a spoon in the door and shrink wrap in the back seat. The deputy asked both if they had any drugs in the vehicle. The woman shook her head and the man replied “Oh no,” the arrest report states.
The deputy asked the couple to exit the vehicle and sit on a nearby curb. A drug detection canine, Ivo, was deployed to conduct a free air sniff around the vehicle. The dog alerted to the presence of drug odor at the driver’s door, the trunk and passenger door area. There were several sets of hand prints all over the trunk lid, especially near the brake light area, the arrest report states.
The vehicle was searched after the deputy believed drugs or paraphernalia was in the vehicle and that the couple was trying to conceal it. Inside the vehicle the deputy observed the passenger door glue was exposed and part of the molding was broken, which appeared to be tampered with, the arrest report states.
Deputies searched the trunk liner of the vehicle and located several green shrink-wrapped bundles concealed in the firewall. Deputies removed a total of six packages of suspected drugs from the trunk frame and exterior firewall. The packages were shrink-wrapped with axle grease, a tactic used by drug traffickers to conceal drugs from drug-sniffing canines. Deputies found the following:
— Package 1: 566.6 grams of methamphetamine
— Package 2: 533 grams of methamphetamine
— Package 3: 533.8 grams of methamphetamine
— Package 4: 518.1 grams of methamphetamine
— Package 5: 290.7 grams of methamphetamine
— Package 6: 253.9 grams of suspected black tar heroin
Deputies also located a digital scale and a baggie of hypodermic devices near the packages in the firewall. Also seized was a methamphetamine pipe from the center console area.
Lopes faces the following charges: Two counts trafficking a trolled substance, level 3, 28 grams or more, 1 count transport of a controlled substance, 1 count possession of a controlled substance for sales and the following misdemeanors: Speeding, failure to stop at a stop sign and no proof of insurance. Bail: $425,946.
Jensen faces the following charges: Two counts drug trafficking, level 3, 28 grams or more, 1 count transport of a controlled substance and 1 count possession of controlled substance for sale. Bail: $425,000.
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.