Stagecoach raid nets five

After months of investigation, Lyon County authorities raided a Stagecoach home early Thursday, arresting the homeowner and four others.

Wendall Shepard, 42, was being held in the Lyon County Jail on multiple drug charges in lieu of $162,264 bail.

According to Lt. Bob Sherlock of the Lyon County Sheriff's Department, a Special Weapons and Tactics team, assisted by narcotics officers and patrol deputies, stormed the home owned by Shepard at 8440 Appaloose Court about 7:30 a.m.

"We've been working on this for a long time. In the last month we've devoted a lot of time to it, and our investigation resulted in us obtaining a search warrant from Dayton Justice Court which we served this morning," Sherlock said.

He said police found "trafficking amounts of methamphetamine, saleable amounts of marijuana," paraphernalia such as pipes and syringes, and scales. Nevada law considers anything more than 4 grams of methamphetamine to be a trafficking offense.

"We had info it was possibly a lab, but the investigation showed there was no evidence of any lab," he said.

A neighbor of Shepard's who asked to not be identified said he believed the home was a drug house for years.

"There were cars in and out all the time," he said. "In fact I'd reported it myself a couple years ago."

Shepard was booked on charges of suspicion of felony trafficking in methamphetamine, possession of meth for sale, possession of marijuana for sale, possession of marijuana over an ounce, maintaining a residence for purposes of sale or use of a controlled substance, unlawful use of cocaine, unlawful use of methamphetamine, unlawful use of marijuana, misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a hypodermic device, and felon in possession of a firearm.

Also arrested were: Jaclyn Harker, 21, on suspicion of felony possession of methamphetamine, unlawful use of methamphetamine, unlawful use of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, misdemeanor possession of marijuana under an ounce and possession of hypodermic needle; James Verhorst, 26, on suspicion of felony unlawful use of methamphetamine; Leachele Burk, 30, on suspicion of unlawful use of methamphetamine and Ronald Mundy, 40, on suspicion of unlawful use of methamphetamine.

Sherlock said Shepard was released from prison in January after serving a year for possession of stolen property.