Heroin bust nets 4 arrests

KNIK-FAIRVIEW — Four Wasilla residents were in jail Monday afternoon as a result of a heroin bust at an area residence, authorities said.

Colton Nerup, 22, Nichole Nerup, 30, Edwin Stoltenberg, 32, and Diane Withrow, 51, were arrested May 29 in connection with the bust at a house along Hanson Loop. The Nerups are former family members, according to spokeswoman Megan Peters.

Colton Nerup faces second- and fourth-degree drug misconduct charges, Nichole Nerup one count of fourth-degree drug misconduct, and Stoltenberg is charged with violating the conditions of his release.

As a condition of his released, Stoltenberg must be in the presence of Withrow — his third-party custodian — at all times. But she wasn’t at the Hanson Loop location when troopers arrived. She did, however, return while troopers were still on-scene, troopers said.

The bust involved troopers with the Mat-Su Drug Unit, wildlife troopers and troopers with the patrol division, who served a search warrant in response to a neighbor’s complaints, Peters said. Authorities seized less than a gram of heroin, about $200 cash, scales, and packaging materials, she said.

“Many times investigators will find extensive evidence of heroin distribution but the dealer does not have any on hand at the time a search warrant is served,” she said.

The law does not require a set amount of heroin to be present for a second-degree drugs misconduct charge, Peters said . Instead, troopers must find evidence of distribution.

While third-party custodian violations are unusual, they aren’t without precedent, Peters added. Custodians are warned at their bail hearing that they can be arrested if they are caught not watching their wards, she said.

Colton Nerup remained in Mat-Su Pretrial Monday afternoon on $10,000 cash or corporate bail with court-appointed third-party requirements.

Nichole Nerup remained in Mat-Su Pretrial Monday afternoon on $2,500 cash or corporate bail with court-appointed third-party requirements.

Stoltenberg remained in Mat-Su Pretrial on $2,500 cash or corporate bail with court-appointed third-party requirements.

Withrow had bonded out on $100 Monday afternoon.

Contact Brian O’Connor at 352-2269, brian.oconnor@frontiersman.com, or on Twitter @reporterbriano.