Record drug bust totals more than $400,000 in street value

Two men and a woman were arrested at a Gardnerville car wash in what authorities are calling the largest methamphetamine seizure in Carson Valley.

The Douglas County Sheriff's Office Street Enforcement Team, working in conjunction with the Tri-Net Task Force, ended a month-long investigation Saturday night with three arrests and the seizure of nine pounds of methamphetamine worth $400,000.

"The Douglas County Sheriff's Office is concerned that this seizure may be a sign that methampetamine is making a comeback locally," sheriff's spokesman Sgt. Jim Halsey said.

"In recent months, arrests and seizures of methampetamine had been dropping, which raised hopes that methampetamine had lost its appeal with local drug users."

Valdene Elaine Roberts, 57, Gardnerville, Nayo Orozco-Ortiz, 28, Carson City and Crispin Pacheco, 35, Carson City, were arrested at a car wash in Gardnerville after investigators received several tips about an incoming shipment of methamphetamine.

Acting on the tips, along with intelligence information that had been developed about this drug-trafficking organization, investigators set up surveillance at the car wash and arrested the three suspects.

All three are charged with trafficking in a controlled substance and conspiracy to violate the uniformed controlled substance act. Bail was set at $115,000 each.

Orozco-Ortiz and Pacheco have additional holds put on them from the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service.

"The Douglas County Sheriff's Office is intensely focused on combating illegal drug use and uncompromising law enforcement action will continue in that effort," Halsey said.