Four men to be tried in $600,000 drug bust

Four men charged in the recovery of more than $600,000 in drugs will be arraigned in District Court on March 18.

A Carson City justice of the peace determined Friday that there was enough evidence to try Ruvin Lamas, 37; Daniel Andrade-Mendoza, 34; Jose Pacheco, 21; and Dario Gonzalez, 23, after a Jan. 3 raid in which police recovered 5.2 pounds of cocaine, 2.6 pounds of methamphetamine, 5.5 pounds of marijuana, and $9,500 in cash.

According to the arrest report, officers conducted four separate purchases of cocaine from Andrade-Mendoza. On two of those occasions, Lamas was allegedly present.

The two locations searched were Andrade-Mendoza's Stanton Arms apartment on Woodside Drive and Gonzales' and Lamas' Carson Catalina apartment on Hot Springs Road.

Pacheco was bound over on two counts of Category A trafficking and conspiracy to violate the controlled substance act.

Gonzalez was bound over on two counts of Category A trafficking, possession of a controlled substance for sale and conspiracy to violate the controlled substance act.

Lamas was bound over on three counts of Category A trafficking, one count of Category B trafficking, conspiracy to violate the controlled substance act and possession of a controlled substance for sale.

Andrade-Mendoza was bound over on three counts of Category B trafficking, two counts of Category A trafficking and conspiracy to violate the controlled substance act.

Category A trafficking involves the sales of more than 28 grams of a controlled substance and carries a penalty of 10 years to life in prison.

Category B trafficking involves the sale of 14-28 grams of a controlled substance and carries a penalty of two to 15 years in prison.

The conspiracy charges carry one- to five-year prison terms and the possession charges carry a one- to four-year prison term.

Gloria Sanchez, 21, also arrested on Jan. 3, has since been deported back to Mexico, said Assistant District Attorney Gerald Gardner.

Lamas and Andrade-Mendoza remain in custody on $1 million bail. Pacheco and Gonzales are each being held on $250,000 bail. All four men are believed to be in the country illegally and have immigration holds on them as well.

• Contact reporter F.T. Norton at ftnorton@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1213.