LV pet store owner guilty in meth case

Jace Radke

Friday, June 15, 2001 | 10:50 a.m.

A Las Vegas pet store owner will forfeit more than $1 million and could face prison time after being convicted of selling chemicals used to manufacture methamphetamine out of his store.

Carlos Bertolo was found guilty on 12 money laundering and 15 drug-related charges, after a two-day trail before a federal jury found that he sold iodine crystals and red phosphorous to methamphetamine cooks from his store, Animals of Paradise.

Records show that Bertolo bought and distributed more than 2 tons of iodine crystals and over 400 pounds of red phosphorous between December 1996 and June 1999, a spokesman with the U.S. Attorney's office said.

Internal Revenue Service agents estimate that Bertolo grossed over $1.5 million from the sales.

The jury found that Bertolo should forfeit more than $1 million. Bertolo also faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for conspiracy to distribute and possession of a listed chemical; up to four years in prison and a $250,000 fine for possession of drug manufacturing paraphernalia; up to 10 years in prison and a $500,000 fine for the other 12 drug counts; and up to 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine for the money laundering counts.

"This case puts business owners on notice that if they knowingly sell items used to manufacture methamphetamine, there will be serious consequences," U.S. Attorney Howard Zlotnick said.

On June 2, 2000, Metro Police narcotics detectives served a search warrant at Animals of Paradise and Bertolo's home finding a forged business license for 'Chem Tech,' a purported chemical and laboratory supply company.

Bertolo is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 28 before U.S. District Judge Kent Dawson.