Gardnerville drug dealer goes to prison

Staff Reports

A Gardnerville man was sentenced to up to four years in Nevada State Prison after he admitted to selling methamphetamine three times.

Juan Simental Garcia, 39, admitted to selling methamphetamine out of his Church Street home.

He was arrested Jan. 25 in a pre-dawn raid conducted by the Douglas County Special Weapons and Tactics Team.

He pleaded guilty to one count of trafficking in a controlled substance on July 11.

District Judge Dave Gamble said he couldn't ignore Garcia's previous drug conviction in sentencing him.

"When your are caught up with drugs, even if you maintain employment and family, you are in a culture that destroys families and people's lives," Gamble said. "I can't imagine someone being involved with three sales, where that person doesn't go to prison. You can't sell crank in Douglas County three times and not go to prison."

n A Johnson Lane man was ordered to drug court after he was convicted of domestic battery and discharging a firearm on Tuesday.

Michael Shaun Taylor, 25, allegedly shot his housemate in the foot on Jan. 3 during an altercation involving a break-up.

Taylor pleaded guilty to both charges on May 23.

District Judge Dave Gamble sentenced Taylor to consecutive jail terms adding up to 18 months, but suspended the sentence on condition that Taylor attend drug court.

Taylor was given credit for 140 days time served.

n A South Lake Tahoe man admitted his part in a scheme to steal $15,000 from the Horizon Tahoe by hiding the boxes it was kept in.

Louis Valdez, 24, changed changed his plea to guilty on Tuesday in a deal worked out with Douglas County prosecutors.

Valdez hid two cash boxes inside a cart when it was taken into the counting room at the Horizon.

When the boxes were spotted, Valdez told counters that they were extra and later after obtaining the key to the boxes from Cesar Peres Pulido, 29, of South Lake Tahoe, entered the cart room and took the money on Nov. 1.

Horizon accountants discovered the theft on Nov. 2 and Pulido and Valdez were taken into custody on Nov. 6 and charged with grand theft.

With their guilty pleas, an Oct. 2 trial date was vacated.

Pulido was scheduled to appear in court, but when neither he nor his attorney made an appearance the case was delayed a week.

Pulido, 29, allegedly served as lookout as well as providing the key for the boxes to Valdez.

Valdez faces one year in county jail on one count of conspiracy to commit theft and gross misdemeanor. Prosecutors agreed to recommend probation in the case. He is scheduled for sentencing in the case on Oct. 17.

An Oct. 2 trial in the case was vacated.