Elko Casino Patron Arrested for Suspected Fentanyl Possession

A patron who gambled at a casino in Elko, Nevada, was arrested recently on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance. The recent criminal case involves a 33-year-old male with the initials R.G., who was gambling at Stockmen’s Casino and Ramada Hotel in Elko County. The person, who reportedly had previous convictions, was spotted by police officers who were in the process of conducting a check on the premises.

As announced by Elko Daily, the 33-year-old was detained and subsequently charged with a misdemeanor charge of destroying evidence as well as felony possession of a controlled substance after allegedly attempting to dispose of more than 34 grams of fentanyl pills.

The suspect for the crime reportedly had other convictions dating back to 2017 regarding possession of drug paraphernalia as well as conspiracy to conduct burglary. He pleaded guilty to the two charges and was sentenced to five years in prison along with five years of probation.

Then in 2020, the 33-year-old reportedly violated his probation and parole in Elko County. Similarly, the person was once again arrested in 2022 over possession of a credit card without the owner’s approval, drug paraphernalia and possession of a stun gun by a fugitive or a felon.

Law Enforcement Finds Blue Pills Bagged Individually

As noted, the most recent encounter with law enforcement also resulted in the arrest of the 33-year-old. Upon arriving at the casino, Elko police officers contacted Nevada Parole and Probation, notifying them about the suspect’s whereabouts and that he was gambling. They were told not to take action against the 33-year-old.

One police officer observed the suspect dispose of an ashtray while holding a cigarette pack. The officer searched the trash can where the suspect dumped the ashtray, uncovering the cigarette pack that contained cigarettes as well as a bag of blue pills. Reportedly, the culprit then tried to take the pack of cigarettes from the police officer and escape the scene. However, the 33-year-old was apprehended by the two police officers.

Law enforcement conducted a further examination of the cigarette pack, uncovering fentanyl pills bagged separately. The blue-colored pills had a print of “30” on one side and “M” on the other. A total of 34.51 grams of the substance was uncovered by the police officers.

While in some states, fentanyl is legal via a medical prescription, the drug has gained notoriety across the country. The powerful synthetic opioid drug is known to be between 50 and 100 times more potent than morphine, making its unsupervised intake potentially deadly. A report detailing the impact and dimensions of the US fentanyl crisis released last week revealed that last year alone, approximately 70,000 Americans lost their lives as a result of fentanyl use.