SANTA ROSA – Sonoma County Sheriff’s detectives had their eye on Michael Nephew’s apartment on Heidi Place, which is just around the corner from the Children’s Museum of Sonoma County and the Charles M Shultz Museum. They had a search warrant for the apartment, but apparently decided to stake it out for a while and see what came up.
Yesterday at 11:00 am, according to a Sheriff’s press release, they observed two men leaving the apartment, and attempted to detained them. Thomas Dewayne Lewis Jr., 31, and Greydon Thompson, 23, both of Santa Rosa, resisted the detectives as they fought to take them into custody. After the men were cuffed, both were found to have purchased heroin, which they had in their possession. They were booked at the county jail on charges of resisting arrest, possession of heroin, and driving on suspended licenses. They both posted bail and were released.
The man in the apartment, 56-year-old Michael Nephew, was on felony probation for a prior drug possession conviction. Records show several arrests dating back to at least 2009 on various drug possession and usage charges in both Santa Rosa and the coastal town of Jenner in Sonoma County, where the Russian River meets the ocean. As recently as October of last year, he was charged with possession and being under the influence of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, and resisting arrest. He was charged with the same offenses again in February of this year.
The Children’s Museum of Sonoma County is in walking distance from the drug dealer’s apartment.
At 1:30 in the afternoon, the detectives proceeded to serve the search warrant at Nephew’s apartment. They detained Nephew and located a half ounce of crystal methamphetamine, and a quarter ounce of heroin. They also found narcotics packaging material, digital scales, and cash. Nephew was arrested for possession of heroin for sale, possession of meth and paraphernalia, and probation violations.
It didn’t take long for detectives to run into another arrest while at the location. A man named Santos Romero-Martinez showed up. The 22-year-old was detained and identified, and found to have an outstanding traffic warrant for failing to appear in court on a ticket. His troubles were just beginning though, as detectives found he was carrying a full half pound of black tar heroin, apparently delivering the supply to Nephew to deal. He also had $800.00 in cash with him. Romero-Martinez, a Mexican national, was arrested for possession of heroin for sale, and transporting drugs for sales. He was booked at the county jail with bail set at $51,000.00.
Michael Nephew is currently in custody on his charges with a no-bail hold due to his probation violations.
