Crime Corner
One woman was arrested this week after she allegedly lied to police about a bank teller refusing to give her money she had withdrawn from her account.
According to a declaration of arrest in the case, in April a Nye County Sheriff’s deputy met with suspect Patti Swagger, who told the officer she had not received $700 she requested from her bank.
Swagger reportedly told the deputy she had gone to the establishment and requested to withdraw money from her account. She said the bank teller, however, took the funds she requested and kept them. The arrest report notes Swagger allegedly told the deputy she went straight home after the incident, and after an elaborate story about the missing money, said surveillance would prove she did not receive the requested funds.
The deputy then went to meet with the bank’s branch manager, who advised the officer the bank tellers’ tills added up correctly and there were no problems with them that day.
Several weeks later, the bank’s video surveillance tape was ready for review.
On the tape, a bank teller could reportedly be seen counting the alleged missing funds twice before handing them over to Swagger, who then allegedly placed the cash in her wallet and left.
A deputy was able to meet with Swagger on Tuesday to talk about the missing money again.
During her second interview, Swagger allegedly appeared nervous and at several points changed her story from knowing she didn’t have the money before she left the bank, to not realizing it was missing until she got to Walmart after leaving the bank.
After police confronted her with pictures from the bank’s video surveillance of the teller allegedly handing her the cash, she reportedly continued to deny receiving any money, stating she only received her receipt.
Swagger was subsequently placed under arrest for malicious prosecution and filing a false report and transported to the Nye County Detention Center to be booked into custody.
COPS: Woman arrested for shoplifting also charged with credit card thefts
One woman was already under investigation for possession of stolen credit cards when she was arrested for shoplifting at a local grocery store.
The woman’s troubles began on June 26 when deputies were dispatched to a residence on E. McGraw Road for a report of a neighbor dispute.
When police arrived on scene, they made contact with a woman by the name of Amy Lynn Grubbs who was reportedly found to be in possession of several credit cards with someone else’s name on them. When asked who they belonged to, Grubbs allegedly told police they belonged to a friend and she had permission to have them.
The cards were seized pending notification of their owner to verify if Grubbs was indeed allowed to have them.
When a deputy called the cards’ owner, he reportedly told the officer earlier in the month his wallet had been stolen, but he hadn’t filed a report because his credit card company said they would take care of any fraudulent charges. He further stated since the six to seven cards in his wallet were taken, fraudulent charges in excess of $1,000 had been posted to his account.
Following their conversation, the man decided to file a police report over the missing items.
On Wednesday, the same investigating deputy was asked to respond to Smith’s in the early morning hours after an employee stopped a woman who allegedly attempted to steal several bottles of alcohol from the store.
During the course of her investigation, the deputy reportedly discovered Grubbs was a possible suspect in the case.
The officer located Grubbs at a nearby casino. When asked if she was the one who attempted to take several items from the store that morning, Grubbs allegedly admitted she was.
Grubbs was also questioned about the stolen credit cards, which she reportedly stated she found in her vehicle after giving someone a ride home. She allegedly told police she thought they might be stolen, but kept them anyway.
She denied, however, using the credit cards to make any purchases.
Following her interview, Grubbs was subsequently placed under arrest for possession of credit card without owner’s consent, conspiracy to obtain/possess credit cards without owner consent, burglary, petit larceny, possession of drug paraphernalia and conspiracy to commit burglary.
COPS: Traffic stop leads to heroin bust
Two men were arrested after heroin was allegedly found in their vehicle during a traffic stop earlier this week.
According to a declaration of arrest in the case, Tuesday around 2 a.m. a deputy conducted a traffic stop on a grey Mitsubishi Galant at the intersection of Blagg Road and State Route 372 for failing to maintain its travel lane.
The driver was identified as Michael Fantauzzo and his passenger as Adam Harris.
When speaking to the two men, the officer reportedly noticed the driver’s pupils were extremely dilated and his speech was slow and slurred and he appeared confused when answering questions.
The deputy then asked to see Fantauzzo’s driver’s license, to which he allegedly replied that he didn’t have one. When Harris was asked for his ID, he also allegedly told police he didn’t have one with him but gave them his name, which he said was Brandon Harris.
Fantauzzo and Harris were then asked to step out of the vehicle, at which time Fantauzzo was asked to perform several field sobriety tests, which he allegedly failed.
A K-9 deputy was asked to respond to the traffic stop as well and after the K-9 was run around the vehicle, it reportedly gave a positive indication for narcotics inside.
When police subsequently searched the Galant, a piece of folded tin foil was found in the center console, within easy reach of both passengers, which allegedly contained a tiny, rock-like substance that appeared to be heroin.
Police also reportedly found a Nevada driver’s license with the name Adam Harris on it, which when run through police dispatch, showed there were warrants out for his arrest.
Both Fantauzzo and Harris were subsequently placed under arrest, Fantauzzo for charges of DUI, possession of controlled substance, fictitious plates, no proof of insurance and driving without a valid license, and Harris on charges of providing false information to avoid prosecution and possession of controlled substance.
They were then both transported to the Nye County Detention Center to be booked into custody.
COPS: Officer, this bud’s for you
A man who appeared to be sleeping in his vehicle in a local parking lot was arrested this week after inquiring if marijuana counted as an illegal controlled substance when asked if he had used any drugs that day.
According to a declaration of arrest in the case, on Tuesday at approximately 2 p.m. a deputy was dispatched to the Walmart parking lot for a report of a man who appeared to be under the influence of some kind of substance sitting in a brown truck with a trailer.
Upon his arrival, the responding officer came upon a vehicle matching the description given with a man who appeared to be asleep inside.
When the deputy asked the man, later identified as Steven Keith Rand, if he was OK, he reportedly replied he was.
The deputy then asked Rand if he had been drinking or had taken any prescription medication, which Rand allegedly replied he had not.
Rand was then asked if he had taken any illegal substances, to which he allegedly replied “does bud count?” meaning marijuana.
The man then allegedly admitted to smoking marijuana earlier that day as well as methamphetamine.
A search of his person also reportedly turned up a small amount of both substances in his possession as well.
Inside his vehicle, a black scale was discovered along with a glass pipe inside a Crown Royal bag.
Rand allegedly said he used the scale to measure weed and meth when he purchased it to make sure he wasn’t getting ripped off.
He further stated he was trying to be cool and honest with police because he didn’t want any problems.
Rand was subsequently placed under arrest for possessing the illicit substances before being transported to the Nye County Detention Center to be booked into custody.
