Traffic stop leads to narcotics arrest (Press Release from Mono County Sheriff’s Department, PIO Jennifer Hansen)
The Mono County Narcotics Enforcement Team (MONET), along with the assistance of the Mono County Sheriff’s Office, Mammoth Lakes Police Department, and Inyo County Narcotics Enforcement Team (INET), concluded a narcotics arrest in the Town of Mammoth Lakes.
On the afternoon of Wednesday, December 18, 2013, at approximately 1:30pm, Mammoth Lakes Police Officers, with the assistance of Mono County Sheriff’s Deputies, conducted a traffic stop on a black pickup truck for several vehicle code violations. During the traffic stop, both occupants of the vehicle exhibited signs of being under the influence. MONET agents, and K9 “Tara”, were requested for a search of the vehicle. K9 “Tara” alerted agents to the vehicles driver seat. Agents, deputies, and officers conducted a physical search of the vehicle and located a glass pipe with methamphetamine inside. When the driver, Gregorio Tinoco Hernandez, age 24, of Mammoth Lakes, and passenger, Antonio Garcia Serrano, age 36, also of Mammoth Lakes, were questioned about the glass pipe, both admitted to smoking methamphetamine. Mr. Hernandez also told MONET agents that he was currently on his way to purchase methamphetamine from another person. Mr. Hernandez and Mr. Serrano were placed under arrest without incident.
With the intended narcotic purchase information, MONET and INET agents setup the buy. Mr. Rene Lugo Cortez, age 22, of Bishop, CA, was parked in an upper parking lot when he recognized the vehicle, driven by undercover agents, that he was to sell methamphetamine too. Mr. Cortez exited his vehicle and instructed the passengers to then drive away. Passenger, Kenneth Chandler, age 21, of Bishop, CA, changed seats and drove Cortez’s vehicle away. Mr. Cortez met with the undercover agents, knew they were not the intended buyers, tried to run from the authorities, and was placed under arrest without further incident.
MONET agents, deputies, and officers located Mr. Cortez’s vehicle and conducted a traffic stop. K9 Tara conducted a search of the vehicle and alerted agents to the presence of narcotics in the vehicle. After the alert, a glass pipe, an ounce of methamphetamine, and a digital scale were located inside the vehicle. Mr. Chandler and passenger, Felis Landa, age 26, of Bishop, CA, were placed under arrest without incident. When Mr. Cortez, Mr. Chandler, and Mr. Landa were questioned, they admitted to smoking methamphetamine and that they have traveled from Bishop to Mammoth Lakes with the intention of selling methamphetamine to Mr. Hernandez. All five individuals were transported and booked into the Mono County Jail in Bridgeport.
Gregorio Tinoco Hernandez, age 24, of Mammoth Lakes, was arrested for possession of a controlled substance; possession of controlled substance paraphernalia; and being under the influence of a controlled substance.
Antonio Garcia Serrano, age 36, of Mammoth Lakes, was arrested for possession of a controlled substance; possession of controlled substance paraphernalia; and being under the influence of a controlled substance.
Rene Lugo Cortez, age 22, of Bishop, was ultimately arrested for transportation of a controlled substance; possession of a controlled substance; possession of a controlled substance for sales; possession of controlled substance paraphernalia; being under the influence of a controlled substance; and conspiracy to commit a crime. Mr. Cortez is currently in custody in the Mono County Jail.
Felis Landa, age 26, of Bishop, was arrested for possession of a controlled substance for sales; possession of a controlled substance; being under the influence of a controlled substance; and conspiracy to commit a crime. Mr. Landa is currently in custody in the Mono County Jail.
Kenneth Chandler, age 21, of Bishop, was arrested for possession of a controlled substance for sale; possession of a controlled substance; being under the influence of a controlled substance; and conspiracy to commit a crime. Mr. Chandler is currently in custody in the Mono County Jail.
All charges for the five individuals are pending through the Mono County District Attorney’s Office.
Written and reported by: Jennifer M. Hansen, Public Information Officer
A good paying job for these bored youth, would change things for the better for most of these kids.
I went to college in the ’60s. 10 – 20 % of the students had tried at least 1 illegal drug. 95% of the students drank. (sometimes, make that usually, illegally). When people said “Speed Kills” they were not talking about cars. Those wild kids back then are your grandparents.… Read more »
sad to see some locals kids caught up in this crap….hope they learn from this and once they get their second chance, take advantage of it! Mammoth is not some loser desert town…we don’t want this stuff here. NOTHING good comes from using crank, you’d think people would know that
Quite a few people in Mammoth sure want that stuff there judging by news reports lately. Having trees doesn’t make you all any different. Denial and bad mouthing others isn’t going to help your recovery.
Like the desert, there are plenty of people up near Mammoth who have dropped out and are looking for someplace cheap and far away from other people so they can live whatever lifestyle floats their boat without worrying about such nuisances as neighbors, building codes, animal regulation, and police.
I love reading about dopers going to jail….
Roy , then you’ll love reading this.
http://triblive.com/news/adminpage/5279408-74/wanto-police-drug#axzz2nwTvqFrj
The person in that article needs to be slam dunked and off to jail.
Sorry Roy, I miss spoke, what the hell good does our prison system do to help anyone?
Trouble…People in prison that belong in prison protect other people from them becoming ANOTHER victim of theirs….and,as in this case, punishment for being an alleged dumb-ass….for repeat offenders,and depending on their age when they re-offend,unfortunatally,some are beyond much help..IMO…..
Whats up with all this fear mongoring Wayne? I don’t think so! What about that rich kid who recently only got 10 years probation for = stealing alcohol, driving under the influence, and killing 4 people and seriously injuring others, and they gave him that sentence, the defense made the… Read more »
Jeremiah….Don’t understand what your trying to say,or thinking with my statement I’d be maybe defending that rich kid that killed those 4 people…or defending the Court system and their decision in that case.I felt that rich kid should have gotten AT LEAST 10 years in prison for what he did….maybe… Read more »
Just a quick word. Our country has imprisoned way too many people for too long with no rehabilitation. We need a new way to deal with offenders, at least a lot of them. Some just need to be kept out of society. But, many need help as people. Programs that… Read more »
Merry Christmas Ms. Kessler.
God bless you…
Mongo
Merry Christmas, Mongo. Thanks so much for your comments.
BK
I went back and re-read your comment, yeah, I was way off..its hard to see past my belief of how we are living in a time of decline, I guess that makes me the biggest fear mongorer around, right? But money in politics is a issue? Right? Climate is changing?… Read more »
Wayne, most drug addicts are killing themselves, not others.
and I love seeing peoples ignorance put on the spotlight! No matter how mainstream the ideology or perspective is…
….You can sure tell it’s ski season up in Mammoth Lakes….
Good girl Tara girl, good girl!
Yep, give her a doggie treat.
There is enough random urine sampling in the military to find and root out nearly all the drug users. I was a Naval officer and know that first hand. We caught plenty of drug users and out they went. Alcohol abuse is another story sadly. Too much of that in… Read more »
Our jails must be getting pretty full by now. To bad the college is empty.
What do you know about college, lol.
That sounds condescending.
BK
Or patronizing. I know plenty of happy and successful people who never went to college, and plenty of college grads (including academics) who can only exist in academia. Neither of these categories are mutually exclusive, though.
I’m guessing the condescending patronization stems from arrogance.
Yep, you can be happy and successful having not gone to college, though your income potential is generally limited by that choice (which in most people has a negative impact on the happiness part), but happy and successful and drug addiction do not generally happen in the same person. They… Read more »
I know even less about jail. I know all about being a out of control teenager!
Maybe if you ever find it in you to do something really difficult like complete a bachelors degree, something that required years of discipline to achieve, you will see why I have such a low opinion of drug abusers and those who support them. They are terrible employees, business partners… Read more »
There are a few things between college degrees and drug use – like people who work hard in their chosen area, learn a great deal and serve others. Like Dave McCoy.
Benett Kessler
Desert Tortoise, Must make you feel stupid that other people got the same degree and better grades while high as a kite in class and still had time for nude coed ultimate frisbee.
What college do you attend to learn humility, compassion, and kindness?
So where does a individuals “socio economic environment” come into play? I state that because how far do we have to look to see somebody from Beverly hills or those in Wall ST answer to two totally different justice systems? Mongo is right! What academic course do you take to… Read more »
I watched students fail out of the masters degree program I completed successfully due to drug and alcohol use. It takes over your life to the detriment of all else. It drags everyone else down the toilet with them too. The people I saw graduate were all sober and very… Read more »
Looks like DT has to offer his worthless 2 cents again. I didn’t see “Kern County” referenced anywhere in the article. I hope he stays down there.
DT, if all drug use precludes industrious intelligence and vice versa, explain Paul Erdos, Sigmund Freud, Steve Jobs, Howard Hughes, Ulysses S Grant. Do you find them “disgusting”?
Yeah, just look at how drug addiction destroyed Howard Hughes. Brilliant man reduced to nothing by codeine and valium. Exactly the kind of thing I am talking about. Cocaine didn’t do Sigmund Freud any favors either. It almost killed him. He was fortunate to realize it was killing him and… Read more »
Wow. I didn’t realize you were a contemporary with Freud!!
BK
His experimentation with cocaine is well documented. It was viewed as this miracle substance by both psychoanalysts and surgeons in that time period. They were not yet aware of cocaine’s very dark side, and both Freud and Halsted’s careers suffered from their addiction. Freud was smart enough to see it… Read more »
You speak as if you and Sigmund were pals.
BK
I agree Trouble, if you are going to be a real career criminal like Bernie Madoff, Charles Whitman, or John DeLorean, you are going to need a college education.
That would be: Too bad the college is empty.
And I would agree.
Miss the days when a judge could say, “I will reduce your sentence if you join military, go to school or hold down a job.”
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/wired-success/201312/how-the-us-is-becoming-nation-prisoners
the military doesn’t want them.
Ya, because no one drinks or uses in the military, or comes out strung out. Just like Desert Tortoise thinks there are no users in college.