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Nellis serviceman arrested on drug, weapons trafficking charges

Updated September 26, 2019 - 5:02 pm

A master sergeant at Nellis Air Force Base has been arrested and indicted on federal charges of drug and weapons trafficking after he allegedly sold firearms and drugs, officials said Thursday.

Nellis law enforcement, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Metropolitan and Henderson police departments worked together to arrest Master Sgt. Michael Reimers of the 99th Communications Squadron on Wednesday at the base, Nellis spokesman Nick Janeway said.

According to an indictment, Reimers sold cocaine and more than 50 grams of methamphetamine between July and September. He also sold an AK-47 assault rifle, a handgun and a 12-gauge shotgun without a license, according to a news release from the U.S. attorney’s office.

Reimers allegedly sold the shotgun to an undocumented immigrant, but it was unclear Thursday to whom he sold the other firearms and drugs.

Reimers, 39, was indicted by a grand jury on Wednesday and charged with two counts of distribution of a controlled substance, one count of engaging in the business of dealing in firearms without a license and one count of sale of a firearm to a prohibited person, the release said.

Reimers entered active duty in April 2000, became a master sergeant in July 2011 and began working at Nellis in 2016, according to the Air Force base.

At Nellis, he was assigned to the 99th communications squadron as a noncommissioned officer in charge of installing spectrum operations, the base said. Reimers received four Air Force commendation medals, a joint service commendation medal and a defense meritorious service medal.

Janesway said the investigation is ongoing and declined to provide additional details Thursday afternoon.

Contact Max Michor at mmichor@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0365. Follow @MaxMichor on Twitter. Staff writers Katelyn Newberg and Briana Erickson contributed to this report.

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