K9 Hera Caught Men with Pants Down

STOREY COUNTY, NV – On Jan. 17, 2026, at approximately 2:51 p.m., a Storey County Sheriff’s Office Deputy conducted a traffic enforcement stop on a vehicle in the Tahoe Reno Industrial Center. Three occupants were observed inside the vehicle.

A K9 Deputy arrived on scene to assist, along with his trusty four-legged partner, K9 Hera. The K9 Deputy deployed K9 Hera for a free air sniff of the vehicle, where she (a very good girl) indicated a “pawsitive” alert to the presence of the odor of narcotics (yes, yes…she was given a reward for being so cute and doing a good job).

Deputies conducted a search of the vehicle, where several pipes and alleged methamphetamine were discovered. The occupants each claimed the “these aren’t my pants” doctrine.

The occupants, Michael Dennis (age 58 of Costa Mesa, CA), Andrew Rouse (age 44 of Las Vegas, NV), and Brian Smith (age 57 of Chandler, AZ), were all placed under arrest on the following charges:

Dennis:
-NRS 453.336.2B Possess schedule I or II controlled substance, less than 14g, 3rd or subsequent offense
-NRS 453.566 Use or possess drug paraphernalia

Rouse:
-NRS 453.336.2B Possess schedule I or II controlled substance, less than 14g, 1st or 2nd offense
-NRS 453.566 Use or possess drug paraphernalia

Smith:
-NRS 453.336.2B Possess schedule I or II controlled substance, less than 14g, 1st or 2nd offense
-NRS 453.566 Use or possess drug paraphernalia

The Storey County Sheriff’s Office K9 Unit is out every day, working to keep our community safer. Not every sniff results in a “big bust” and not every arrest is released. But we are proud of our hard working K9 Deputies and K9s.

All subjects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.