Guilty plea expected in marijuana sales

A 51-year-old Gardnerville man is expected to plead guilty May 12 in District Court to two charges of selling marijuana in an undercover sting.

Russell Tillack, jailed on $75,000 cash bail, waived a preliminary hearing Friday.

His lawyer, Kris Brown, said Tillack would plead guilty to the two charges before Judge Dave Gamble. In exchange, the district attorney will drop other charges in allegations that he threatened a witness.

Brown said prosecutors would not oppose Tillack being released on his own recognizance after he enters the guilty plea.

Tillack was arrested April 14 by the Douglas County Sheriff's Office Street Enforcement Team, working in conjunction with the Tri-Net Task Force on a warrant for selling about 237 grams of marijuana.

Simultaneous with Tillack's arrest, a search warrant was executed at his home, the culmination of a month-long investigation into Tillack's marijuana distribution.

According to investigators, Tillack was in possession of marijuana and a large sum of cash at the time of his arrest.

The search of his home turned up packaging materials, scales and other paraphernalia associated with the sales of marijuana.

After Tillack was released, he allegedly went to the home of a witness and said he'd put the word out on him. He suggested the man lie in court.

Investigators obtained a separate arrest warrant for Tillack, charging him with felony intimidating a witness. Tillack was arrested April 15 at his home on Carbernet Court. He was allegedly smoking marijuana at the time of his second arrest.