A 47-year-old Fallon man was sentenced Tuesday in District Court for drug trafficking.
Charles DeSelms received 46-168 months (14 years) for drug trafficking (4-14 grams), unauthorized act relating to a controlled substance and failure to stop at the sign of a peace officer. He pleaded guilty in October.
Churchill County Senior Deputy District Attorney Ben Shawcroft argued for consecutive sentences, which Judge Tom Stockard imposed, after detailing DeSelms’ actions through the several months.
The North Central Narcotics Task Force started an investigation earlier this year and made numerous controlled buys of methamphetamine from DeSelms. Once the case unearthed enough evidence, a warrant was issued for DeSelms’ arrest in May.
The task force served the warrant at DeSelms’ city residence, but he was not there. Authorities did find a firearm, Shawcroft said.
About a month later, the task force located DeSelms in the county but he was able to elude the authorities.
According to Shawcroft, DeSelms’ escape was made on an All-Terrain Vehicle and with the assistance of an associate. In addition, once DeSelms started to flee, he began “fishtailing” to kick up more dust and dirt to block the pursing officers view.
One officer was injured in the pursuit when his vehicle crashed into a “canal” leaving him injured.
The task force found DeSelms and two others in July at a residence on Mary Street. With assistance from the Carson City Sheriff SWAT team and the Fallon Police Department, authorities used breaching charges to destroy the garage door and apprehend DeSelms, Sheena Marshall and Daniel Jeppsen.
At the time of the arrest, DeSelms was listed as one of Nevada’s Top 10 most wanted criminals.
“He does not care for the lives he destroyed or for the safety of the officers protecting this community,” Shawcroft said.
DeSelms’ attorney, John Oakes, argued his client sold meth to supply his drug addiction. A former Marine corporal, DeSelms started using drugs after he was discharged from the Marines, Oakes said. DeSelms also served in Desert Storm.
Oakes also questioned the validity of the confidential source who assisted the task force in the case. Oakes also asked for concurrent sentences.
DeSelms, meanwhile, said, “I know where I screwed up,” adding he was done (with drugs).
In other court news —
Sheena Marshall pleaded guilty Tuesday in District Court to one count of possession of a controlled substance.
Marshall was arrested July 16 along with DeSelms and Jeppsen. She admitted to possessing a Schedule I or II controlled substance (meth).
She will be sentenced Jan. 28, 2014.
Jason Kenneth McKern pleaded not guilty to one count of abuse, neglect or endangerment of a child causing substantial bodily harm.
According to the criminal complaint, he is accused of striking a 4-month old child in the face and “or in the alternative” supplied a child with the prescription drug Amitriptyline, which caused substantial risk.
According to the Mayo Clinic’s website, the drug is used to “treat symptoms of depression.”
His trial is scheduled for June 2-6, 2014.