SELLING METH, FENTANYL OUT OF A PICKUP TRUCK
Gallup, Oct. 5
Gallup Police Officer Christopher Dawes was dispatched to Hooghan Hozho Apartments at 201 E. Coal Ave. around 8:45 pm on Oct. 5 after someone called Metro Dispatch to report that people were selling drugs in the alleyway behind the apartment complex.
The caller said they were selling the drugs out of a blue Chevy pickup truck, and when Dawes arrived, he couldn’t find the truck initially. He got onto Highway 66 and as he approached the intersection at Sound Second Street, he noticed the truck that matched the caller’s description turn right.
During this pursuit Dawes had to pass the truck due to traffic, and he noticed a woman who was later identified as Elvina Bitsilly was driving.
Dawes was eventually able to pull the truck over, and he explained why he had done so. Another GPD officer arrived at the scene and told Dawes that the pickup truck, which had Arizona plates, was reportedly stolen.
Bitsilly, 36, was arrested for possession of a stolen vehicle. When the officers ran her name through Metro Dispatch, they also found that she had two active warrants. She was transported to the McKinley County Adult Detention Center, where she was booked for the aforementioned charges.
On Oct. 7, around 3 pm, Gallup police officers met with the owner of the Chevy pickup truck. They gave GPD permission to search the vehicle.
In total, GPD officers reportedly found four blue pills with the letter “M” on them and two baggies of a white crystal-like substance inside them. The white powder was identified as methamphetamine, and the pills were identified as fentanyl.
At this point Bitsilly had already been released from the McKinley County Adult Detention Center, so a judge signed a warrant for her arrest.
Elvina was served with the warrant on Nov. 12, and her preliminary hearing was scheduled for Nov. 20.
FENTANYL FALLING OUT OF THE POCKETS
Gallup, Nov. 11
A Gallup man was charged with resisting arrest and possession of a controlled substance after a fentanyl pill fell out of his pocket during a physical encounter with the police.
On Nov. 11, around 10 pm, Gallup Police Officer Frank Villa arrived at a residence in the 800 block of Draco Street to help with the search of the house.
When a McKinley County Sheriff’s Deputy informed a man named Steven Howe, 35, that a woman who lived at the residence was under arrest, Howe reportedly became verbally upset. He began yelling profanities at the other deputies and Villa and tried to leave the area.
As Howe was leaving, he allegedly turned toward Villa and said, “I’m going to grab something for you and I’ll be back.” According to Villa’s report, he believed this was a threat, and he thought Howe might be going to retrieve a weapon.
Villa told Howe “not to do something stupid that would get him put in jail” and he told him not to come back to the house.
A little bit later, Villa saw Howe walk up to the house’s front door. He told Howe he wasn’t supposed to be at the house. Howe allegedly became upset again and reached for something in his pants’ waistband.
When Villa could see both of Howe’s hands he grabbed his left arm and tried to detain him. Howe allegedly tried to fight back and resist Villa and a McKinley County Sheriff’s Deputy.
Villa told Howe that if he didn’t stop resisting, he would put him on the ground, and he eventually did have to take him down to the ground. Once he was on the ground Villa handcuffed Howe.
As Villa was struggling with Howe another officer saw Howe drop what appeared to be a fentanyl pill.
Howe reportedly received some small cuts to his left eyebrow and his right pinky finger while Villa was trying to arrest him, but paramedics ultimately determined he didn’t need medical attention.
He was charged with possession of a controlled substance, resisting an officer, and assault upon a peace officer (threat or menacing conduct). His preliminary hearing was scheduled for Nov. 20.
SMOKING FENTANYL
Gallup, Nov. 14
A man from Laveen, Ariz. Was caught smoking fentanyl in Gallup and arrested.
On Nov. 14, around 11 am, Narcotics Agents from the Gallup Police Department and the McKinley County Sheriff’s Office were conducting surveillance near Troy’s Auto Sales, which is located at 1116 W. Wilson Ave. when they noticed two men smoking some sort of narcotic in the parking lot. One of the men was eventually identified as Gabriel Gruber, and the officers eventually learned that he had an active warrant out of the McKinley County Magistrate Court.
According to his report, Officer Lionel Desiderio noticed Gruber, 40, smoking and ingesting some sort of narcotic using a straw-like item while burning some aluminum foil and inhaling and exhaling a while cloud.
The officers approached the two men, and Gruber was eventually placed under arrest for his active warrant.
When Officer Darius Johnson did a pat down search on Gruber, he allegedly found some aluminum foil which contained some black residue and a blue pill with the letter “M” on it.
The officers identified the pill as fentanyl, and Gruber was arrested for possession of a controlled substance. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Dec. 11.
Staff Reports
