Gardnerville man arrested in trafficking investigation

A Gardnerville man is being held in lieu of $250,000 bail on charges related to trafficking in methamphetamine on Thursday morning.

Kenneth Howard Pestana, 54, was arrested on two counts of trafficking in methamphetamine and a count of selling methamphetamine, according to Douglas County Sheriff's Office Sgt. Jim Halsey.

Douglas County's Special Weapons and Tactics team executed a search warrant on Pestana's home in the 1000 block of Centerville Lane based on a seven-month investigation.

Also arrested at the home was Dawn Marie Jennings, 29, who was being sought by the Nevada Department of Parole and Probation for absconding after being convicted on methamphetamine charges.

She originally gave officers false information, but investigators discovered her identity while still at the scene.

She was arrested and is being held without bail.

The investigation was conducted by members of the Douglas County Street Enforcement Team, TRINET, and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

Halsey said authorities believe Pestana was involved with the sales of methamphetamine in Douglas and surrounding counties.

Pestana is a painting contractor, who was convicted of second-degree murder in 1973 and did time in Soledad Prison.

He moved to Carson Valley in the 1990s. Charges of kidnapping were dropped against him in 2005. He said his accuser was doing a lot of methamphetamine.