Attorneys for the West Wendover couple arrested in a SWAT raid last week will be petitioning for a reduction of the combined $ 1 million original bail amount, sources informed the High Desert Advocate Tuesday.
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“I think a case could be made that this was a case of over charging,” said one source close to the case. “Over half a million for a pound of drugs and a stolen gun? People arrested for murder get less than that.”
A SWAT team of Elko County Narcotics agents raided a West Wendover home last Friday, describing it as a ‘illegal drug super market’ and 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.
Both are now being held in the Elko County jail on a combined bail of over $1 million on nine felony counts each.
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 hour 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.
Click link for warrant
If the couple were truly the Wendover equivalent of ‘Scar face’, they certainly kept a low profile. According to family member the two did not even own the mobil home they were living in and their newest vehicle was seven years old. both also had full time legitimate jobs in addition to running the ‘illegal drug supermarket’.
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 Elko County Narcotics Unit is composed of agents from the Sheriff’s Office, the Elko Police Department and the Nevada Department of Public Safety with some support coming from the Carlin and West Wendover Police Departments.