Two large illegal weapons and drug arrests in Northern Nevada

Detectives with the Regional Narcotics Unit (RNU) have announced they arrested Mason Wakefield, a 26-year-old Reno resident, for drug trafficking and weapons charges on August 3. On Friday, August 12, a 24-year-old Washington State man was arrested on multiple charges by the Nevada State Police Highway Patrol after a traffic stop led to the seizure of multiple illegal firearms, drugs, and cash.

In August 2022, RNU detectives had information that Wakefield was selling and trafficking Fentanyl throughout Washoe County while in possession of firearms. RNU detectives located his vehicle at the Nugget Casino in Sparks and observed Wakefield enter and leave in the vehicle. A traffic stop of the suspect's vehicle was conducted and Wakefield was found concealing a firearm, according to the Washoe County Sheriff's Office. A probable cause search of the vehicle was conducted revealing nearly three pounds of fentanyl powder, over a pound of Xanax pills, 300 ml of liquid GHB, a half-pound of oxycodone pills, and a half pound of methamphetamine, the department said. An additional firearm was found in his vehicle.

Wakefield was charged with four counts of possession of a controlled substance (42+ grams), four counts of Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Sell, two counts of High-Level Trafficking of a Controlled Substance (400+ grams), and one count of Concealing a Firearm without a permit. He is currently in the Washoe County Jail on $100,000 bail.

On Friday at about 3:15 p.m., troopers with the Nevada State Police Highway Patrol conducted a traffic stop on a speeding motorist on US-93 approximately 20 miles south of Wells. Upon contact with the driver, Triston Steinman, 24, of Edgewood, Wash., troopers said they observed signs of possible criminal activity. A search warrant was granted, and the search of the vehicle yielded multiple firearms with no serial number, multiple firearm muzzle suppressors, multiple weapon components, and accessories including gun manufacturing tools, magazines, ammunition, approximately 7 pounds of marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and approximately 12,500 dollars cash, according to NSP Highway Patrol.

With the assistance of the Nevada Investigations Division Elko Combined Narcotics Unit and the Elko County Sheriff’s Department, the suspect was taken into custody and is being held on 38 counts of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person, 38 counts of Possession or Transportation of a Firearm without a Serial Number, 38 counts of Manufacture or Assemble a Firearm without a Serial Number, one count of possession of marijuana greater than one ounce and one count of possession of marijuana with intent to sell.