A Carson City man with 2.6 pounds of meth in his SUV — about $67,000 worth on the street — was arrested Thursday night along with two other people, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Steven Gillim, 57, was stopped at 8 p.m. in a Toyota 4-Runner after committing an improper lane change at Carson and Long streets, according to Sgt. Brian Humphrey. Humphrey, who pulled him over, and the other members of the Special Enforcement Team he runs had been monitoring Gillim as part of a two- to three-month investigation, he said.
The team had been working with the Tri-Net Narcotics Task Force on Gillim’s case, Humphrey said, adding late Thursday that “tonight was an opportunity.”
Gillim had a clause as part of his court supervision that allows law enforcement to search him with the permission of a court officer if he commits a violation to see if he has alcohol or drugs — both of which he’s barred from having. Humphrey said he and court officer Justin Riva, who’s with the Department of Alternative Sentencing, found about 2.8 grams of heroin in Gillim’s pocket. They then were joined by the other members of the Special Enforcement Team.
“We called over a drug dog. Deputy Jeff Pullen came with his K-9, Rex. During the K-9 search, Rex gave multiple alerts inside the vehicle,” Humphrey said.
Deputy John Hitch found a black bag next to the driver’s seat containing the meth in both packaged, 1-ounce bags and a plastic container, Humphrey said, adding that they also found a gun silencer, night-vision glasses, drug paraphernalia and about $3,600 in cash.
“In almost 20 years, I have never seen this amount of meth in one location,” Humphrey said of his law enforcement career.
Gillim was arrested on suspicion of trafficking a level-3 controlled substance-methamphetamine, conspiracy, possession with the intent to sell, possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a dangerous weapon (brass knuckles), possession of a gun silencer, improper turn at an intersection and violation of bail conditions.
Also arrested were Eric Weber, 41, a transient, and Melinda Paetz, 45, of Carson City. Paetz was arrested on suspicion of trafficking a level-3 controlled substance-methamphetamine, conspiracy to violate the Controlled Substances Act and violation of a suspended sentence, and Weber on trafficking a level-3 controlled substance-methamphetamine and conspiracy to violate the Controlled Substances Act.
Bail was set at $250,000 for all three.