Hearing set for Johnson Lane meth suspect

A hearing is set for Jan. 26 in East Fork Justice Court to determine if there is enough evidence to hold a 56-year-old Johnson Lane woman on charges of trafficking in methamphetamine.

East Fork Justice Jim EnEarl refused to lower Nadine Murray's $250,000 cash bail or release her on house arrest after she asked him to free her so she could care for her dying dog.

"I'm begging you," Murray said. "I won't have anything to do with drugs."

Murray admitted she already served a prison sentence for drugs and had two drug-related convictions.

Prosecutor Kristine Brown objected to Murray's request, saying if the woman is convicted, she could get life in prison.

"She was allegedly selling drugs out of her house which could go to forfeiture," Brown said. "She is a danger to the community."

Murray, her ex-husband Thomas Murray, 57, and three others were arrested early Jan. 10 after 35 law enforcement officers converged on their East Valley Road home in a pre-dawn raid.

Co-defendants Karen Sclafani, 41, of Carson City, and Darin Culpepper, 37, were released to house arrest.

Thomas Murray, 57, bailed out of jail after his arrest and is set for a Jan. 29 court appearance.

Steven Hipple, 38, of Minden, is in jail in Sparks.

Nadine Murray faces the most serious charge.

Culpepper, who lived in a trailer at the residence, is set to plead guilty Feb. 6 in District Court to possession of a controlled substance.

In exchange for his guilty plea, the district attorney agreed to drop a charge of possession of drug paraphernalia.

He also has an outstanding warrant from Sparks for a traffic offense.

EnEarl set a Feb. 21 hearing for Sclafani and warned her she would be back in jail if she used drugs or alcohol.

"She wants to go to Narcotics Anonymous and get back to work," said her lawyer, Laura Grant. "Her eight days in jail have taught her a lesson."

Officers recovered 2 ounces of methamphetamine with a street value of $5,600 confiscated at the house and through controlled purchases.

A motorcycle which had been stolen in Reno also was discovered at the house.

Authorities said the Murrays had a long history of involvement with controlled substances at their home at 2861 East Valley Road. They were arrested in 1989 for marijuana cultivation and in 2001 in connection with a methamphetamine lab.