Courtesy photo A large amount of marijuana and cash was seized by Walker River Tribal Police Aug. 18.

Courtesy photo
A large amount of marijuana and cash was seized by Walker River Tribal Police Aug. 18.

A vehicle stop in Schurz, led to a large discovery of marijuana last Wednesday.

According to a press release from Walker River Tribal Police, officers observed a vehicle driving south toward Schurz through the reservation at a high rate of speed on Aug. 18 at about 12:56 p.m. The vehicle was stopped for diving 87 miles per hour in a posted 70 miles per hour zone.

Neither the driver nor the passenger was listed on the rental agreement of the rental vehicle.

A Walker River Tribal officer observed a strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle.

“During investigative questioning, the occupants admitted that there was marijuana in the vehicle,” the statement explains.

Both driver and passenger were detained and later placed under arrested and the vehicle searched.

During the search, the officer discovered 21 pounds of marijuana and over 300 grams of concentrated marijuana, in various forms, throughout the vehicle.

Besides the marijuana, over $1,500 in cash and various items of drug paraphernalia were also found.

The estimated value of the drug load, being transported, is $111,120.

The occupants who were arrested are identified as: Jonathan Ketterling, 33 years of age and Courtney Hall, 27 years of age, both from Tracy, Calif. Ketterling was charged with: NRS 453.337.2C: Possession to sell schedule I/II/ controlled substance (third offense) – two counts; NRS 453.337.2A: Possession to sell schedule I/II/ controlled substance (first and second offense) – two counts; NRS 453.336.2A: Possession of schedule I/II/III/IV controlled substance – two counts; NRS 453.556: Possession of drug paraphernalia and NRS 484B.366: Basic speed 15-20 over the posted speed limit. Hall was charged with the following: NRS 453.337.2C: Possession to sell schedule I/II/ controlled substance (third offense) – two counts; NRS 453.337.2A: Possession to sell schedule I/II/ controlled substance (first and second offense) – two counts; NRS 453.336.2A: Possession of schedule I/II/III/IV controlled substance – two counts and NRS 453.556: Possession of drug paraphernalia.

Currently Ketterling and Hall are being held at the Mineral County Detention Facility.

The case was referred to the Mineral County District Attorney’s Office and the Bureau of Indian Affairs for possible state and federal charges.

“As all locals know, the Walker River Paiute Indian Reservation is not the place to be speeding. Their officers regularly patrol the highways and enforce traffic laws as well as perform all the primary law enforcement duties on the reservation,” the statement concluded.