Wednesday, June 23, 2010 | 2:54 p.m.
Meth arrest
Federal drug charges were filed against a Southern California man after North Las Vegas Police found a suitcase containing more than 7 kilograms of methamphetamine in the trunk of the rented car he was driving, Nevada's U.S. Attorney Daniel Bogden said today.
Juan Enrique Ramos-Garcia, 33, of Chino Hills, Calif., appeared before a federal magistrate judge Tuesday and was charged with possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. He faces at least 10 years in prison and a $4 million fine if convicted.
At 10:30 a.m. Sunday, a North Las Vegas police officer pulled over a white Toyota for an unsafe lane change near the intersection of Craig Road and Clayton Street, the criminal complaint stated. The driver, Ramos-Garcia, advised the officer that the vehicle had been rented, and that he was visiting Las Vegas and had been following another vehicle to a friend’s house. Ramos-Garcia was issued a citation.
Ramos-Garcia told the officer there was no contraband inside the Toyota, and he granted the officer permission to search the vehicle. The officer used a narcotics dog, which detected an odor emanating from a black suitcase in the trunk. Upon opening the suitcase, the officer found a plastic bag containing 15 bundles of methamphetamine with a total weight of 7.2 kilograms.
Ramos-Garcia was arrested at the scene and remains detained pending trial.
The case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Amber Craig.
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