Carson City men face multiple drug charges after meth and pills found

Two Carson City men, one who is reportedly a former police officer, face drug charges after methamphetamine and pills were discovered late Thursday night.

John Logan Christopher, 29, faces felony charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine for sale, possession of prescription drugs without a prescription, possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell, and possession of drug paraphernalia. His bail has been set at $11,264. Kameron Mariolo, 24, faces a charge of possession of a controlled substance. His bail has been set at $2,500.

On Thursday Carson City sheriff deputies were assigned to the Special Enforcement team. At about 11:58 p.m. deputies were dispatched to a possible drug deal at the AM/PM store in the 2700 block of Highway 50 East in Carson City. Dispatch advised that two men in a Jeep Cherokee with a license plate of Car Zone were possibly involved in selling prescription medication and were at the gas pumps.

On arrival deputies saw two men standing behind a black Jeep Grand Cherokee with paper dealer plates. The license plate frame read Car Zone. The arresting deputy recognized one man from prior contacts as Christopher, according to the arrest report.

The deputy knew the suspect had a drug and weapons history and was a former police officer, according to the arrest report. In his possession, discovered after his arrest, was a laminated Miranda Rights warning card in his wallet, according to the arrest report. Christopher had once reportedly worked for Walker River Police Department, according to the sheriff's office.

Based on Christopher's weapons history, and knowledge that he was involved in the narcotics business, the deputy made contact with him at the Jeep as he was attempting to get into it, according to the arrest report. The deputy told Christopher to place his hands on his head and Christopher was patted him for weapons. During the search the arresting deputy felt a object in Christopher's pocket, which later turned out to be a prescription pill bottle. Christopher was asked to sit down as deputies explained why they were there. Christopher denied selling pills or other narcotics, according to the arrest report.

The arresting deputy saw the driver's window of the Jeep was down and he looked inside the Jeep without sticking his head in the window, according to the arrest report. The deputy could see a small plastic baggie which contained a white crystal substance that resembled methamphetamine in the center console cup holder between the driver and front passenger seats, according to the arrest report.

The baggie was in plain view and nothing was blocking the view and nothing was moved to see the baggie, according to the arrest report. Christopher was read his Miranda Rights and he agreed to speak with the arresting officer, the report stated.

Christopher told the officer that the pill bottle in his pocket contained Vicodin which belonged to a female friend who left the pills in his car and he was returning them to her, according to the arrest report. Christopher stated the Jeep belonged to his friend, and that he was borrowing it. When the deputy told Christopher that he had seen the Jeep parked in his driveway on June 24, the suspect stated he did not know what was in the Jeep because it didn't belong to him, the arrest report stated.

Christopher gave deputies permission to remove the pill bottle from his pants pocket. The deputy removed the pill bottle and saw a prescription, for a female, for hydrocodone. The pill bottle contained two different types of pills, 19 oxycodone and nine Vicodin, according to the arrest report.

Based on the baggie with the white crystal substance being in plain view in the Jeep, the baggie's location was photographed and removed. A test was done on the substance on the spot and it was determined to be methamphetamine, according to the report. Christopher was arrested for possession of the meth and the pills, both controlled substances.

A tow truck for the Jeep was requested. As officers began to take inventory of the Jeep, deputies discovered more meth stuck inside a skateboard wheel, meth-smoking pipes, and an electric digital scale. In all about one gram of meth in three baggies was found, according to the arrest report.

The other man, Mariolo, was stopped by deputies after he attempted to walk away. He denied being in the Jeep with Christopher, however, another deputy, who arrived at the scene, said he saw both men in the Jeep at the Slot World casino before seeing them at the AM/PM. A sweatshirt, found inside the Jeep, was found to be his and based on information of the other deputy, Mariolo, was arrested on suspicion of being in possession of methamphetamine.