Through the first 10 months of 2018, Lyon County’s crime stats are on track for a five-year high — although the mark through October is still well off the record pace since the County Attorney’s Office began keeping records in 2003.
County Attorney Marc Goodman says there were 495 cases charged so far this year. He says drug cases, especially methamphetamine-related cases, are the main reason for the increase.
Marijuana cases remain at a high level, but cocaine is showing signs of making a comeback and LSD cases have increased. Opioid abuse is not a major player currently.
Goodman also says cases are recently being charged against younger adults, with an increase in people arrested in their early- to mid-20s. To him, that second point indicates a lack of understanding that drug activity is still illegal.
The current 10-month total is 495, ahead of last year’s mark of 473 but trailing the five-year high of 545 set in 2014. Since the County Attorney’s Office began keeping records in 2003, the highest 10-month count was 616 in 2006. That year actually had the second-most calendar-year cases charged at 713, two behind the 2004 total.
Goodman says he is not seeing any decrease in other crime categories as 2018 continues.
