Mark Twain restaurant owner arrested after drug raid

The owner of a Mark Twain restaurant faces four felony charges after Lyon County narcotics officers raided the business, which also serves as his home.

Frank Paul Cavataio, 72, and a juvenile were arrested March 18 after deputies serving a search warrant allegedly discovered 2 pounds of marijuana prepared for sale, drug paraphernalia and a firearm in the restaurant at 6012 Highway 50.

Cavataio, the owner of Frank & Frankie's Restaurant, was arrested on charges of possession of a controlled substance for sale, possession of more than 1 ounce of marijuana, unlawful use of a controlled substance, ex-felon in possession of a firearm and possession of drug paraphernalia, according to Deputy Jerry Pattison of the Lyon County Sheriff's Office's Narcotics Division.

In a 1998 interview in the Nevada Appeal, Cavataio said he was a former child singer with Rudy Vallee, and worked for years as a brick contractor. He started making salsa at home for parties and guests.

According to Pattison, 11 people have been arrested in drug raids since Feb. 12, when three people were arrested in a raid on Linehan Road in Mound House.

Deputies arrested, Paul Wilson, 42; Sallie Wilson, 41; and Gary Ogden-Fausett, 18.

More than 2 grams of suspected methamphetamine was seized in the raid along with about 20 firearms, including two that had been reported stolen.

On March 9, narcotics officers were back on Linehan Road, where they served a search warrant that resulted in the confiscation of 2.8 grams of suspected methamphetamine, two handguns, a Nevada Highway Patrol trooper badge and a pair of Smith and Wesson handcuffs.

Daniel Goff, 36, and Bonnie Kraft, 46, were arrested in that raid.

Four people were arrested March 25 in a search warrant served on a Fernley home. A gram of suspected methamphetamine was found.

Renee Barnett, 36; Jason Dockler, 19; Mykelle Cooper, 31; and a 17-year-old female were arrested in the home.

Pattison said Lyon County's four-man narcotics squad is working hard to keep up with the county's drug problems.

"We have a four-man squad to cover the entire county, and we are swamped," he said. "We get some cases that are hot and then we get warrants and go in, but there is a lot of drug activity here."