Deputies seize 20-30 pounds of marijuana over weekend

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By Kyle Magin
Bonanza Staff Writer
May 7, 2008

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Two people were arrested in Incline Village early Saturday at their apartment with 20 to 30 pounds of marijuana, other drug paraphernalia and unidentified pills.
Justin Michael Kaamasee, 25, was arrested along with Kathrine Colleen Rieger, 23, for eight counts of drug-related charges, according to a Washoe County Sheriff’s booking report.

Washoe County Sheriff’s Sgt. Bill Devine said deputies from the WCSO received information Friday afternoon that led them to the bust.

Incline Village Justice Court Judge Alan Tiras then issued a warrant.

Deputies arrived at the 989 Tahoe Boulevard condominium Rieger and Kaamasee were leasing shortly after midnight Saturday to serve the warrant.

Devine said the two were arrested without incident by Deputy Josh Liles. When Liles made contact with the pair, Devine said, they were allegedly cooking marijuana on the range-top stove within the apartment. Since some of the marijuana was moist from cooking, Devine said, deputies were unable to determine the full weight of the seizure, instead estimating the haul at 20 to 30 pounds. Capt. Steven Kelly, commander of the WCSO Incline substation, said the bust was much bigger than a typical Incline drug seizure.

“We generally won’t see anything larger than a pound, so this is much bigger than normal,” Kelly said.

Kaamasee was charged with six felonies — possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute, possession of marijuana, possession of a dangerous controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, manufacturing/cultivating a controlled substance and maintaining a place to sell/distribute a controlled substance — and two misdemeanors, unlawful possession and possession of a controlled substance.
Likewise, Rieger was arrested on eight identical charges, six felonies and two misdemeanors.

Liles also found a variety of marijuana-paraphernalia in the apartment, Devine said, including baggies, a marijuana-crushing device, rolling papers and a variety of cooking instruments used for marijuana.

Devine said deputies also seized 20 unmarked, unknown pills and psychedelic mushrooms, along with more than $3,000 in cash.

Street value of the drugs are hard to estimate, Devine said, since some of the marijuana was being cooked into butter and was weighed wet. An exact weight and exact value cannot be determined until an investigation into the incident is complete, Devine said.

Kaamasee and Rieger were still being held pending bail at the Washoe County detention facility Tuesday, said a clerk at the Reno-based jail.

Rieger is held on a $31,410 bond, and Kaamasee on a $33,410 bond.