Felony Eluding and Drug Trafficking Prosecution Outcome

Life Sentence as a Habitual Criminal Follows Defendant's Eighteenth, Nineteenth and Twentieth Convictions

The Washoe County District Attorney’s Office has announced that Cody Eldon Meilike, 36yrs, has been adjudicated a habitual criminal and sentenced in District Court by the honorable judge David Hardy this week on one count of drug trafficking and two counts of felony eluding. Meilike, who committed his eighteenth, nineteenth and twentieth felonies in this case, was sentenced to a term of life in prison plus 6 years, with the possibility of parole after 12 years, 4 months has been served. Among Meilike’s prior convictions are charges of attempted rape, theft, fraud, failure to register as a sex offender, felony eluding and forgery.

The sentencing stemmed from a July 2, 2019, incident in which Meilike was arrested after having twice eluded Reno Police Department (RPD) patrol officers after failing to stop when directed to pull over. In each instance, Meilike drove at excessive speeds away from RPD officers, who terminated their pursuits due to the defendant’s dangerous driving patterns in densely populated residential areas. During the second contact, Meilike crashed his vehicle into another vehicle after traveling through a trailer park. Meilike fled on foot after the crash, but was quickly apprehended after a short foot pursuit. After being taken into custody, a search incident to arrest revealed over 5 grams of methamphetamine in Meilike’s pants pocket. After this office filed formal criminal charges against Meilike, he waived his right to a jury trial and pled guilty to one count of drug trafficking and two counts of felony eluding.  

At sentencing, Deputy District Attorney Aziz Merchant argued that based on Meilike’s long, documented history of victimizing members of the community, as well as his status as a sex offender and multiple-time convicted felon, his crimes warranted a life sentence. The Judge agreed and sentenced Meilike accordingly.