Douglas County juveniles arrested for possession of stolen firearms and other charges

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Nev. - Three juvenile suspects were arrested by the Douglas County Sheriff's Office (DCSO) on Monday morning. Law enforcement believes the three, ages 14, 15, and 17, committed a rash of vehicle burglaries in the Gardnerville Ranchos area during the early morning hours of Sunday, May 26.

The 17-year-old male was arrested at Douglas High School and booked into the Douglas County Juvenile Detention Facility for burglary, grand larceny of a firearm, unlawful sale of a firearm, and being a juvenile in possession of a firearm.

The 15-year-old male was arrested at his home and booked into the Juvenile Detention Facility for burglary and grand larceny of a firearm.

The 14-year-old male was arrested at Pau-Wa-Lu Middle School and booked into the Detention Facility for burglary.

Investigators said the 17-year-old, a Minden resident, was actively trying to sell a Springfield Armory semi-automatic pistol to other juveniles after the vehicle burglaries. They said they contacted the teen and recovered the pistol. It was determined that he had gotten the pistol from a 16-year-old male from Gardnerville.

On Friday, June 7, Investigators interviewed the 16-year-old who admitted to selling the Springfield Armory pistol to the 17-year-old Minden resident. The 16-year-old also admitted that he along with another 16-year-old male and a 14-year-old male (both from Gardnerville) committed numerous vehicle burglaries in the Gardnerville Ranchos during the early morning hours of Sunday, May 26.

The 16-year-old admitted that the Springfield Armory pistol had been stolen from a vehicle during the rash of burglaries (the theft of this pistol had not even been reported to DCSO). A Ruger pistol had also been stolen from another vehicle during the burglaries.

It was determined that the Ruger pistol had been sold to a 16-year-old male Gardnerville resident who was on juvenile parole for car-jacking.

DCSO Investigators located the 16-year-old parolee at the carnival in Lampe Park during the evening hours of Friday, June 7. The 16-year-old parolee had the loaded Ruger pistol in his pants pocket when he was contacted at the carnival. He was booked into the Douglas County Juvenile Detention Facility for parole violation, possession of a stolen firearm, prohibited person in possession of a firearm, and being a juvenile in possession of a firearm.