RENO, Nev. - James “Jimmy" Evans Sr., 49, of Reno, was sentenced today to 12 ½ years in federal prison to be followed by five years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute nearly one pound of methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich for the District of Nevada and Assistant Special Agent in Charge Daniel W. Neill for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
According to court documents, investigators had received information about Evans selling drugs from the garage of his residence. On July 23, 2018, law enforcement had a warrant to search the residence where Evans lived with Bobby Jo Kissel (his wife and co-defendant), along with two of Evans’ cars, for drugs, firearms, and related evidence. Before the search warrant was executed, a detective with the Sparks Police Department learned that Evans had not updated his residential address, which was required as part of his ex-felon registration. The detective observed Evans drive a van to a suspected drug stash location and then to a gas station.
At the gas station, the detective approached Evans, who admitted that he failed to properly update his address. During the interaction, a Washoe County Sheriff’s Office K-9 handler deployed his police dog to the van Evans had been driving. The police dog smelled drug odors from the van. Inside, Evans had a backpack containing 925 grams of pure methamphetamine, 144 grams of heroin, 35 grams of marijuana, and a digital scale. Evans was immediately arrested.
Meanwhile, other law enforcement investigators executed the search warrant at Evans’ residence. Among other things, they recovered an unregistered assault rifle with no serial number, a loaded semi-automatic 9mm pistol that had been reported stolen from Lassen County, and 423 grams of methamphetamine. Kissel was present at the residence during the search warrant execution and, after waiving her Miranda rights, she admitted knowing that Evans was selling methamphetamine. Law enforcement then obtained a search warrant for the suspected drug stash location, where investigators recovered a stolen.357 revolver and pure methamphetamine.
This case resulted from an investigation by the DEA, the Sparks Police Department, and the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Keller prosecuted the case.
Evans pleaded guilty in September 2019 to possession with intent to distribute at least 500 grams of methamphetamine. Kissel pleaded guilty to misprision of felony, which means knowing that a felony was committed, taking affirmative steps to conceal the crime, and failing to notify the authorities. She faces up to three years in prison at a sentencing hearing set on Jan. 22, 2020.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
