A 25-year-old man was arrested Friday for suspicion of felony kidnapping, domestic battery by strangulation, assault with a deadly weapon and other crimes, according to a Carson City Sheriff’s Office booking report.
Following an investigation, which involved the Reno Police Department, the sheriff’s office arrested suspect Joel Sepulveda. He was also booked for felony preventing the victim from reporting a crime and gross misdemeanor discharging a gun where the victim was endangered.
According to the booking report, on Dec. 12 at 6:30 a.m. deputies responded to the 4000 block of Village Drive for a welfare check. Dispatch stated Reno Police Department was looking for a man who was involved in a physical altercation with a female. Deputies were later informed there was a firearm involved in the altercation and it was discharged within a residence. It was determined that all crimes were committed within the Carson City jurisdiction, the report states.
Carson City sheriff’s deputies met with Reno Police Department at 200 Lemon Drive in Reno to take custody of suspect Sepulveda.
According to the report, Reno police officers stated the suspect found out the victim was cheating on him. Officers stated the suspect was waiting for the woman to get home to confront her. Officers stated the suspect slapped the victim a couple of times across the face with each hand. Officers stated the suspect then choked with the woman with each hand, then with both hands.
Reno officers stated the suspect had the firearm in his hand during the incident but didn’t point it at the victim. Officers stated that at some point during the incident that the firearm went off inside the residence. Reno officers stated the suspect then brought the victim to Reno to sit in the truck while the suspect was working and that they would talk about the situation during his breaks.
Reno officers stated the victim told them the man didn’t give her a choice about going to Reno with him. Officers stated the suspect returned to the 200 block of Lemmon Drive to talk with them. Reno officers stated they did not locate a firearm on the suspect. Officers stated that the suspect provided a full confession and corroborated the story provided by the victim. Officers stated the suspect confession was provided under Miranda. Officers stated they took photos of the victim and uploaded them to their case.
The suspect consented to being transported back to the Carson City Detention Center to be booked on the alleged charges, the report states. The suspect stated the firearm was in his room inside his residence and stated CCSO could go to the residence to retrieve the firearm.
Carson City Sheriff’s Office investigators interviewed suspect Sepulveda and read him his Miranda warning, to which he freely and willingly consented to answering questions.
According to the booking report, the suspect stated he found information between the victim and another man on the victim’s Apple Watch. He stated he went to Reno to pick up the victim and confront her about it. He stated the victim was intoxicated and not capable of driving. He stated that the victim rode in his truck back to Carson City.
The suspect told CCSO investigating officers that while driving back to Carson City, he was punching the truck’s center console. He stated that when they got home he started hitting his head against the wall. He stated the victim tried to stop him from hitting his head and in doing so, scratched his right eye. The suspect stated that he either slapped the victim or the victim slapped him, the report states. The suspect stated he then slapped the victim and then slapped her again. Then he stated that at some point during the incident he choked her.
Sepulveda stated he grabbed a gun and pointed it at his own head, and again at his chin. He stated he pulled the gun away from his head and went to pull the slide back. He stated that when he pulled the slide back the gun went off right in front of his face. He stated the gun only went off once and stated that he put the gun away. He stated he never pointed the gun at the victim and stated he got the woman dressed but did not elaborate on the situation, the report states.
The suspect told CCSO investigators that the victim asked what she could do to fix the situation. He said he told the victim to go to work with him. The suspect stated that while on the way to Reno, they were talking more about the situation. He stated that the victim told him she wanted to go to her mother’s house. The suspect said he told the victim he would try to get out of work early or someone could come pick her up from his work location. The suspect stated that the victim went with him willingly to Reno.
Deputies interviewed the victim who said Sepulveda told her she was going to Reno and that he was going to watch her 24/7. The victim stated she did not have a choice on whether should could go to Reno or to stay at home. She stated that while on the way to Reno, she asked the suspect to drop her off at her mother’s house. She told CCSO investigators that Sepulveda told her no and kept driving to Reno and that he was extremely aggressive toward her about going to Reno.
Sheriff’s office investigators learned that when the victim and the suspect returned to the residence, the suspect took the cell phone from her, preventing her from calling 911. The detective stated the victim would have called 911 when everything happened but that the suspect would not let her have the cell phone, the report states.
Sepulveda was booked for alleged kidnapping, domestic battery with strangulation, assault with a deadly weapon, preventing or dissuading a victim from reporting a crime and discharging a gun where a person was endangered. Bail: $100,000.
— All information for the crime log (unless otherwise noted) is public information and supplied by the Carson City Sheriff’s Office through probable cause reports. All subjects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Go here to view Carson Now’s policy on naming defendants.
