Matthew Richard Nolte arrested in Tuolumne County fentanyl drug bust
Deputies in Tuolumne County arrested Matthew Richard Nolte after finding nearly 55 grams of fentanyl hidden in his car during a highway traffic stop.
Matthew Richard Nolte was arrested in Tuolumne County after deputies discovered concealed fentanyl inside his vehicle, authorities said. The traffic stop followed a long-term investigation into alleged illegal narcotics sales across California regions.
The 40-year-old was moving drugs between the Bay Area and Tuolumne County in the Sierra Nevada region, according to the Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies pulled over his car early Wednesday morning on Highway 108 near Yosemite Junction.
Investigators tracked the vehicle using Automated License Plate Reader camera information. The data came from Bay Area and Central Valley databases.
Body-camera footage shows deputies finding a hidden magnetic container attached to the car hood. Inside were about 54.8 grams of fentanyl, items to package drugs and a digital scale.
Nolte was booked into jail. Jail records show his bail is set at $135,000.
Nolte faces four felony charges for selling and transporting drugs, along with using a false compartment. An extra three years can be added to his sentence for possessing over an ounce of fentanyl if convicted, the sheriff’s office said.
Automated license plate readers capture images of vehicle plates to compare them against law enforcement databases. County sheriff departments use these systems to locate vehicles tied to active regional criminal investigations. Suspects booked on felony drug charges in California typically remain in custody until posting bail or attending an arraignment hearing.
The traffic stop occurred along Highway 108 near Yosemite Junction in Tuolumne County.
