Detectives with the Regional Narcotics Unit (RNU) arrested Joseph Salemi, 38, on November 16, 2021, on multiple drug charges.
Narcotics detectives were conducting follow-up on a Washoe County Sheriff’s Office case from November 7, 2021, where a nine-month-old infant was exposed to a substance suspected to be fentanyl.
Through their investigation, regional detectives learned Salemi possibly possessed a large amount of fentanyl, and he was planning to sell the synthetic opioid to raise bail for the infant’s mother, Elizabeth Irvin. Irvin was found to have smuggled a substance believed to be fentanyl inside the Washoe County Detention Facility after a medical emergency there on November 9, 2021.
Regional detectives located Salemi in south Reno late Tuesday, November 16th, and conducted a traffic stop after observing numerous traffic violations. During a search of his vehicle and person, detectives located 24.4 grams gross weight fentanyl, 4.7 grams gross weight methamphetamine, $6,648 in U.S. currency, numerous scales commonly used to weigh illegal narcotics, and dozens of baggies commonly used to package illegal narcotics.
Salemi is charged with two felony counts of Possession of a Controlled Substance, one felony count of Possession of a Controlled Substance for Sales, and a misdemeanor count of Displaying a License Plate Improperly.
