A 25-year-old man was arrested Saturday in Carson City on multiple felony drug charges after a traffic stop led deputies to discover suspected heroin packaged in several small baggies inside his vehicle.
Julio Fernando Ortega Ramirez was booked on suspicion of felony possession of a controlled substance for sale, transporting a controlled substance, and possession of more than 14 grams of a controlled substance. He was also booked for misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia and driving without a valid driver’s license, according to a Carson City Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) booking report.
According to the report, a deputy with the Carson City Sheriff’s Office Special Enforcement Team was patrolling near Carson Street and Winnie Lane when he observed a vehicle with a driver’s side brake light that failed to illuminate while braking.
The vehicle turned into a parking lot along North Carson Street. The deputy followed and initiated a traffic stop using red and blue emergency lights.
During the stop, the deputy informed the driver of the reason for the stop and asked for his driver’s license, registration, and proof of insurance. The man reportedly had difficulty retrieving the documents and appeared nervous.
When asked again for his license, he provided an identification card, stating he did have a driver’s license but had forgotten it. He was unable to provide registration or proof of insurance and later told deputies the vehicle belonged to a friend, according to the report.
Further investigation revealed the man did not have a valid driver’s license.
The deputy asked the man to step out of the vehicle and informed him he would be issued a citation. As the deputy walked back toward the vehicle, he asked the driver for consent to search the car, and the man agreed.
A CCSO detective arrived on scene with his K9 partner Cash. Dispatch confirmed that the driver did not have a valid license, and the dog conducted a sniff around the vehicle, providing a positive alert.
When asked if there was anything illegal in the vehicle, the man told deputies there was heroin inside, according to the report.
During a search of the vehicle, deputies located multiple baggies containing a black tar substance believed to be heroin. Investigators reported finding 10 baggies in the center console, each weighing between approximately 1.10 and 1.25 grams, and four additional baggies in the glove box, weighing between about 1.20 and 1.30 grams each.
Deputies also found multiple plastic bags in the driver’s side door panel, $318 in a black leather wallet in the center console, and $755 in cash located beneath the suspected heroin in the center console.
The man was placed under arrest and read his Miranda rights. According to the report, he agreed to speak with deputies and said he had purchased the heroin at a dance “a while ago.”
He also told deputies that he does not have a job and sells heroin to people he can contact. Ortega Ramirez was taken to the Carson City jail and booked on the charges.
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