Carson City Sheriff's arrest log: Man busted after attempting to flush drugs down toilet

A 23 year-old Carson City man was arrested Friday night at 9:42 p.m. in the 500 block of N. Stewart Street on felony possession of heroin and attempting to destroy or conceal evidence, a gross misdemeanor offense, a Carson City Sheriff's deputy reported.

Joseph Patrick Eckert was taken into custody following a parole and probation check at a hotel room. The parole and probation officer had arrived to make contact with another subject on probation, but that individual did not answer the door after several knocks by law enforcement.

The parole and probation officer peered through a hotel room window to try and locate her subject, but instead observed in the room a digital scale, drug paraphernalia, and Eckert appearing to manipulate the toilet tank lid in the bathroom, the arrest report said.

Eckert finally answered the hotel room door and made contact with the parole and probation, along with Carson City Sheriff's deputies who had arrived on scene. The probationer who was the subject of the original contact was determined not to be in the room after a search and seizure form was presented.

However, a 23 year-old female subject was present. Both she and Eckert were detained during the search. A records check of the woman confirmed an outstanding bench warrant for misdemeanor contempt issued by the Carson City Justice Court, and she was arrested at that point.

During the search, several discarded hypodermic needles and torn baggies containing suspected heroin residue were located inside of the toilet tank. A red digital scale and two spoons, each containing heroin residue, were located on the bathroom counter along with more hypodermic needles and alcohol wipes, the report said.

Also recovered from the hotel room was a red folding knife containing a trace amount of heroin residue on it.

During a Mirandized interview with Eckert, he admitted to possessing the recovered items. Knowing the police were at the door, Eckert said he then placed the items in the toilet.

He was handcuffed and arrested at that point, the report said, and both he and the woman were transported to the Carson City Jail for booking.

During the booking process, though, authorities were informed that Eckert had a prior arrest, having successfully concealed heroin in his buttocks and smuggled it into the jail. He was able to sell the drugs to other inmates when incarcerated, according to information provided to detention authorities.

A strip search of Eckert was subsequently performed, and when completed, one gram of heroin was located in the suspect's buttocks.

Bail for Eckert: $6,137. Bail for the woman: $3,000.

In other arrests:

— A 51 year-old Carson City man was arrested Friday afternoon at 4:04 p.m. in the 500 block of North Carson Street on charges of misdemeanor trespassing and obstructing, a Carson City Sheriff's deputy reported.

According to the report, a Sheriff's deputy was dispatched to a business on report of a trespassing subject. Evidently, the suspect had been escorted off the premises earlier by deputies on the previous shift. But he had returned to the property, prompting the business to call law enforcement and request his arrest for trespassing.

Upon arriving on scene, the deputy made contact with the suspect, who was sitting in a bus stop enclosure. He stated he had been drinking alcohol, a 25-oz. Hurricane beverage, and denied having gone back inside the business after being trespassed the first time.

The suspect was detained in handcuffs, the report said, and he attempted to pull away from the arresting deputy, turning toward a second deputy. Both officers then gained control of the subject until he calmed down. He was then moved to a patrol car and secured inside.

The general manager of the business made contact with the deputies, the report said, filling out a citizens arrest form and statement. The suspect was transported to the Carson City Jail for booking. Bail: $654.

— A 58 year-old Carson City man was arrested Friday afternoon at 1:25 p.m. in the area of North Roop and Stewart streets on an active misdemeanor violation of suspended sentence issued by the Carson City Justice Court, a Carson City Sheriff's deputy reported.

According to the report, a Sheriff's deputy conducted a traffic stop on a grey Dodge Durango, the license plate of which returned with a confirmed arrest warrant attached to the vehicle registration.

The driver identified himself upon contact, and it matched the individual on the outstanding bench warrant. He was asked to exit the vehicle, whereupon he was placed into handcuffs and taken into custody.

The suspect driver was transported to the Carson City Jail for booking. Bail: $1,000.

— A 49 year-old Carson City man was arrested Friday evening at 7:27 p.m. in the 2700 block of Menlo Drive for misdemeanor failing to register and an outstanding failure to appear bench warrant, a Carson City Sheriff's deputy reported.

According to the report, Sheriff's deputies arrived at a residence on Menlo Drive in an attempt to contact a known ex-felon who was not shown as having registered there.

Contact was made with the suspect, who was identified and a records check performed on him. Records showed at least two felony convictions in the suspect's criminal history and he had not registered at the residence where he was located, the report said.

In a Mirandized interview, the suspect admitted to living at the residence for about two years without being registered there. He was detained in handcuffs and arrested at that point as an ex-felon failing to register.

The records check also confirmed the suspect had an active arrest warrant issued by East Fork Justice Court in Douglas County for failing to appear on a traffic citation, the report said.

He was transported to the Carson City Jail without incident for booking. Bail: $480.

— A 57 year-old transient man was arrested late Friday night at 11:39 a.m. in the 400 block of North Carson Street and charged with misdemeanor ex-felon failing to register, a Carson City Sheriff's deputy reported.

According to the report, a Sheriff's deputy patrolling downtown had observed a subject recognized from a previous contact hanging out at a street corner. The subject was known to have a felony warrant issued out of Florida after the deputy had met with him two days earlier.

From the initial Sept. 12 contact, the suspect reported that he came to Carson City three months ago from Florida and had been living homeless here ever since, the report said.

A criminal history check through Carson City Dispatch at the time confirmed the felony warrant as well as several felony convictions, the report said.

The deputy had instructed the suspect to go to the Carson City Sheriff's Office in the morning and register as an ex-felon, the report said.

But as of late Friday night, the suspect still hadn't registered and he was taken into custody for being an ex-felon failing to register. He was transported to the Carson City Jail for booking. Bail: $242.

All information for the crime log (unless otherwise noted) comes from the arrest reports supplied by the Carson City Sheriff's Office, and is considered by law to be public information. All subjects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The policy of Carson Now is to name anyone who is arrested for a felony offense.