DeSelms reinstated to Drug Court; fugitive arrested in Oregon

The wife of a suspected drug trafficker appeared Tuesday in District Court after she was removed from Drug Court.

Heidi DeSelms, 47, of Fallon was removed from Drug Court after she was arrested for intimidating a witness. Her attorney, Dave Neidert, asked the court for clarification as to whether DeSelms could be reinstated to Drug Court despite the pending charge.

DeSelms was sent to Drug Court after she was arrested for possession of a controlled substance. In addition, DeSelms was booked recently for intimidating a witness in a case against her husband, Charles DeSelms, who faces numerous drug charges.

Heidi DeSelms, meanwhile, was reinstated to Drug Court by Judge Tom Stockard on the condition she has no contact with anyone associated with her husband’s case. Her second case is currently pending in Justice Court.

Churchill County Senior Deputy District Attorney Ben Shawcroft said Heidi DeSelms’ current case for intimidation is a serious charge. According to Shawcroft, she and two others including Laura Reynolds and “one large in stature” tracked down a witness at a bar and said the witness feared for their life.

Neidert, though, said he is not sure if the act rises to the level of Shawcroft’s claims and said Heidi DeSelms did nothing more than look across a bar with no communication.

Charles DeSelms was arrested in July by the North Central Narcotics Task Force after a four-month investigation. He faces numerous charges and his case is currently pending.

In other court news —

A Fallon man who skipped his sentencing hearing was arrested and booked into the Churchill County Jail on Aug. 7.

Michael Regan, 32, was picked up by authorities in Salem, Ore., on July 29 after he fled his July sentencing hearing. He pleaded guilty to one count of attempted home invasion earlier this year and faces one to five years in prison.

Regan entered the attached garage of a Fallon woman’s home in the early morning, but she grabbed a frying pan to prevent Regan from entering the residence. There were also two teenage daughters in the residence.

The woman then locked him in the garage and notified police. Regan, though, left the garage through a window, but left his shoes and was later arrested by the police.

Churchill County Deputy District Attorney Sean Alexander said Regan’s initial sentencing date in October 2012 was continued six months to allow Regan to enter the Salvation Army drug treatment program. According to Alexander, Regan was suffering from an addiction to prescription medication.

Alexander, though, said he did not know if Regan completed the program.

A 27-year-old Fallon entered two guilty pleas Tuesday in District Court and agreed to a plea deal to avoid a habitual criminal charge.

Kyle Wayne McClelland pleaded to one count of possession of a stolen motor vehicle and one count of fraudulent use of a credit or debit card. He also agreed to allow Churchill County prosecutors to argue for consecutive sentences.

McClelland faces three to nine years in prison but avoided a possible life sentence for a habitual criminal charge.

In court, McClelland admitted to receiving a stolen Suzuki motorcycle and using a credit card belonging to Natalie Adams to purchase gas.