Judge refuses to lower bail

Visiting Judge Richard Glasson refused Friday to lower the bail for two suspects charged in multiple felonies for allegedly selling drugs from a Minden motel room.

Cristina Basagoitia, 23, is being held on $259,853 bail in connection with the drug charges and a theft case from 2003 in which she still owes nearly $10,000 restitution.

Co-defendant Robert Forseth, 28, was jailed on $10,000 bail.

Glasson, sitting in for East Fork Judge Jim EnEarl, agreed to make the bails bondable, but refused to lower the amounts.

Prosecutor Mike McCormick argued against bail reduction, referring to the defendants as "frequent flyers" within the criminal justice system.

"When Ms. Basagoitia was arrested she had 4.2 grams of methamphetamine in her sock and her shoe. She was out selling meth at least three times in this case," McCormick said.

"It's our intention to put Ms. Basagoitia in prison on these charges," he said.

Forseth asked that his bail be lowered because he was supposed to start a job on Monday.

"I don't think I'm going to make it," he said.

"Mr. Forseth has been in this court before," McCormick said. "He has a history of drug use and now he's out selling drugs."

Glasson said if either defendant is able to bail out, they would be on house arrest and subject to random search and seizure.

He appointed the Roeser law firm to represent Basagoitia and set her next court hearing for Wednesday.

Forseth is represented by lawyer Alan Erb and he is to return to court June 28.

The suspects were arrested June 13 at the Minden motel.

According to officials, Basagoitia was arrested after she made several sales of quarter-ounce amounts of methamphetamine.

Methamphetamine, scales and packaging material were seized when the search warrant was served by the Douglas County Street Enforcement Team along with Tri-Net.

Basagoitia is charged with four counts of trafficking in a controlled substance, sale of a controlled substance and conspiracy to violate the Uniform Controlled Substances Act.

Forseth is charged with conspiracy to violate the Uniform Controlled Substances Act and drug possession.

Trafficking may be punishable as a category B felony which carries imprisonment for up to six years and a fine of $50,000.