Felon faces prison after drug sale while on probation

A man who admitted making off with $1,700 in tools from a casino in 2022 admitted violating probation on two separate cases by being arrested on a subsequent charge of possession of methamphetamine for sale.

Thomas Andrew Pedroli, 37, is probably going to prison when he’s sentenced on Jan. 31, 2024. He appeared in Douglas County District Court on Tuesday.

As part of a plea agreement, Pedroli faces consecutive four-year sentences in his previous cases involving the tools and a drug charge after his probation was revoked.

The sales charge involved being in possession of six 1-gram bags of methamphetamine when he was arrested on Halloween at Lake Tahoe.

As part of his plea agreement, he must admit he was previously convicted of a sales charge in El Dorado County.

He faces sentences from the probation violations.  All parties are recommending Pedroli serve 2-5 years concurrent to the other charges.

• A 27-year-old Gardnerville man has a stiff prison sentence hanging over his head should he fail probation.

Tyler Michael Alumbaugh received a 2-5-year suspended sentence on one count of residential burglary. Alumbaugh admitted he went into his mother’s home and stole keys to their car.

The vehicle was found at the COD Casino by deputies, who spotted Alumbaugh. He ran off into the night but left his ID and a half empty bottle of vodka. He was found the next morning on Aug. 7 in an abandoned home in Kings  Lane.

Attorney Mary Brown argued for probation, saying that while he took his mother’s car, it was not his intent to hurt anyone.

Prosecutor Nathaniel Smith asked for prison, pointing out that Alumbaugh left a previous treatment program and went on a binge.

Alumbaugh said the past four months in custody gave him time to reflect on his behavior.

“I haven’t dealt with it seriously,” he said of his alcohol abuse. “I hurt the people in my life who only loved me. I’ve never had life look me right in the eye and say, ‘this is your last chance.’”

His mother asked the judge for leniency, saying her son was depressed by the death of his father.

“I recognize the criminal justice system is a poor mental health treatment program, but you need to understand that having a health issue doesn’t give you a free pass to commit crimes,” District Judge Tod Young said. “You need to change your life.”

Alumbaugh must participate in a six-month treatment program and in mental health counseling for the entirety of his three-year probation.

He was given credit for 121 days time served.

• Determining that showing up to court under the influence of opiates and methamphetamine was sufficient proof of a man’s addiction, District Judge Tod Young ordered him into treatment.

Kurt Gunther Buttstadt will remain in custody until he appears in Western Nevada Regional Drug Court next week.

The drug court judge will determine whether he should be released.

Buttstadt was arrested for possession of methamphetamine and fentanyl on April 23 t at Lake Tahoe.

He admitted a count of possession of a controlled substance on Sept. 19.

When he arrived late to court for the second time in a row on Nov. 21, Young ordered him to test.

The results were positive for the drugs, and he was held in contempt.

“I need you to see the Kurt worth saving,” Young said. “Go look for that guy.”

His sentencing was deferred pending completion of a diversion program.

• A man who failed drug court and absconded to California where he was arrested, admitted he violated his probation.

Mark Edwin Graham, 27, admitted possession of heroin in November 2020 and was ordered to drug court. The charge carried mandatory probation.

While out on probation he committed a crime in Washoe County and was sentenced to probation, there, too. He’s also up on a paraphernalia case in Carson City.

His diversion was revoked and the disposition on the probation violation will be determined on Jan. 9.

Graham was one of three men convicted in 2017 for selling more than $100,000 in fake ski passes. Graham went to prison in 2018.