Carson City Special Enforcement Team deputies arrest alleged methamphetamine dealers following surveillance

A 49-year-old Carson City woman and a 51-year-old Carson City man were arrested in the area of S. Carson Street and 6th Street for drug-related felony and misdemeanor crimes.

According to the report, Merie Mona Nowinski and David Lynn Hopper were arrested after Special Enforcement Team deputies were surveilling in the area of N. Carson Street.

Specifically, both suspects were being investigated regarding the sales of methamphetamine and heroin.

Sources indicated that Hopper and Nowinksi make regular trips to Reno, purchase substantial amounts of drugs, and sell the drugs from their hotel room.

SET deputies conducted surveillance on the motel room on North Carson Street, and witnessed several vehicles, pedestrians, and bicycles arrive to the motel room for brief visits between 5 and 10 minutes in length, after which the “guest” would leave.

When marked police vehicles passed the hotel room, the report states, anyone outside would typically go inside the motel room.

Two weeks ago, deputies chased a suspect who ran into their room and hid from police before being apprehended.

The windows of the room were entirely covered with cardboard, with the exception of two small 2” by 2” holes in which several CCTV cameras were placed to monitor activity in the front and rear of the motel room.

Deputies watched as Hopper and Nowinski arrived to the motel in Nowinski’s vehicle, before switching into a black sedan with California plates. They loitered in the parking lot for several minutes before leaving southbound on Carson Street. The license plates were fictitious and expired.

Deputies believed the pair switched vehicles often to avoid law enforcement surveillance. They also believed that the pair knew SET was surveilling and investigating their residence.

Deputies stopped the vehicle and spoke with the pair, who both engaged in avoidance behavior. There was a brown purse at Hopper’s feet that both suspects appeared very concerned with and attempted to conceal.

K-9 Deputy Ivo was dispatched to the scene to conduct a free air sniff around the vehicle, and alerted to the presence of drug odor at the driver’s side of the vehicle.

Deputies opened the brown purse, which contained a camera case with a baggie containing methamphetamine inside. The baggie contained one solid rock of methamphetamine, which waited approximately 20 grams, and several smaller baggies, indicative of drug sales.

Nowinski told deputies she knew there was “probably methamphetamine or something bad” in the camera case, and that Hopper had handed it to her in the motel room and told her to put it in her purse. She admitted that Hopper sold methamphetamine.

She consented to deputies looking in her cellphone, which contained several strings of text messages regarding drug sales.

She said Hopper was abusive and made her hold drugs for him to sell them. She said she and Hopper purchased 2 to 2.5 ounces of methamphetamine from Reno on Oct. 3, but later stated that they “didn’t get it at all.”

Hopper denied any involvement with drug sales whatsoever.

Deputies were granted a warrant to search the motel room. In order to get inside, deputies broke the cardboard-covered windows and the door with a hammer.

Deputies located a mirror with methamphetamine on the surface, baggies, and a scale. They also located two methamphetamine water pipes.

There were three CCTV cameras equipped with night-vision attached to a monitor and hard drive, and deputies seized the hard drive for evidence.

Nowinski was arrested on the following: Fictitious plates, felony trafficking of methamphetamine, felony possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Bail: $46,232

Hopper is facing the following: trafficking of methamphetamine, possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell, possession of drug paraphernalia.

Bail: $46,137

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.