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A West Wendover woman is free on bond after her bail was slashed from close to $600,000 to just $10,000 by Elko Justice of the Peace Barbara Nethering.
Angelica Numez made bail Tuesday just hours after Nethering slashed the amount from $580,00 to just $10,000.
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According to reports the 24 year old Wendover woman is at home in Wendover reunited with her child who had been staying with relatives since Numez was arrested in a SWAT raid by local narcotic agents September 14.
A SWAT team of Elko County Narcotics agents raided a West Wendover home September 14, describing it as a ‘illegal drug super market’ and arrested Juan Luis Davila, 29, and Angelica Ruby Numez-Alcala, 24.
According to the Elko County Narcotics Unit press release agents spent three months investigating the couple.
While the raid was dramatic and the bails were huge, the actual amount of drugs seized were quite small.
After serving the no knock warrant and arresting the pair, agents spent several hours searching the residence and found according to the release: 2.25 ounces of meth, over four ounces of cocaine, more than 12 ounces of marijuana and a small amount of psychedelic mushrooms. Agents also seized over $10,000 in cash and two handguns, one of which was reported stolen recently in Battle Mountain.
According to family member the two did not even own the mobile home they were living in and their newest vehicle was seven years old. Alcala at least also had full time legitimate job. And while her husband was described as a ‘frequent flyer’ in the Elko and West Wendover Court system Alcala, until the September raid, had no criminal record.
The amounts of illicit drugs seized did not however include any amounts agents may have purchased from the couple during the three month investigation.
The affidavit that led to the warrant permitting the raid indicates that police gained. Probable cause by an earlier search of the couple’s trash cans published on page two of this edition.
The couple’s young child was also present during the first moments of the raid and was placed in the care of relatives.
The slashing of Numez’ bail was an open question at the time the hearing began principally because there were questions whether her court appointed attorney Michael Shurtz of Elko actually had enough time to prepare a request having received the case with just three working days before the hearing.
Davila is represented by Elko Attorney David Lockie who was privately retained by the man’s family a week ago. In a motion to the court Alcala indicated that she did not have the resources to afford a lawyer and asked to be represented by the Elko county Public Defenders Office.
However because the Public Defender had previously represented Davila on other criminal charges, the office notified the court Wednesday that it had a conflict of interest.
But while Nethering slashed Numez bail, a similar request from her husband was turned down flat.
The man is still in the the Elko County Jail on a $580,000 bound.
It’s time to reevaluate the failed war on drugs. The Governments has spent more than 1.7 trillion dollars fighting drug addiction. They’ve manage to change the addiction rate from 1.3% in 1970 to 1.3% in 2012. Wait, they haven’t been able to do anything but incarcerate non-violent people for victimless crimes.
Who’s non-violent? The drug dealers? Majority of drug dealers are violent. If they’re not they don’t make money. And victimless, what about the familys of the people that get hooked on the shit?!
It’s nice to see that you don’t have the wherewithal to actually use your real name to post a comment without having facts to back yourself up. Typical for someone that doesn’t want to have an intelligent debate on the subject.
The drug war has been going on for more than 40 years. This farce of an experiment has resulted in more than arrests targeting minorities and poor people. It has resulted in an increased police force that has pushed it’s priorities from solving crimes whereby there is an actual victim involved to making the easy drug arrests.
If you are concerned about “Addiction” you probably should start campaigning against alcohol & tobacco which are FAR more addictive than drugs Cannabis & mushroom. Alcohol causes much more harm to society than cannabis.
I don’t use my real name because I actually live in wendover and see what these people can and will do to others. To be honest Pot and shrooms aren’t what I’m really worried about. I’m concerned about the other drugs that completely destroy lives. Like meth and, cocaine.