Las Vegas Criminal Defense Blog

Yesterday evening the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department’s Enterprise Area Command hosted the “Our Children and Gangs Information Summit” at the Desert Breeze Community Center. The purpose of this summit was to inform the general public about the reality of gang activity in the state and Nevada gang crime laws.

Specifically, the summit covered the following topics: reporting gang activity, how gang members recruit new members, why youth are attracted to gangs, and signs that someone is becoming involved in a gang. Metro’s Gang Unit also discussed community based anti-gang strategies and the consequences for breaking Nevada gang crime laws.

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Three suspects, ages seventeen to twenty, have been arrested for allegedly murdering Las Vegas police officer Trevor Nettleton last week. Authorities believe the incident was an attempted robbery but where the suspects came away with nothing.

The suspects will probably be charged with Nevada murder with a deadly weapon, conspiracy to commit robbery and attempted robbery with a deadly weapon (NRS 200.380). Police also suggest that the gang enhancement charge be added. They’re currently in custody at the North Las Vegas detention center.

NRS 200.380 defines robbery as the unlawful taking of personal property from someone else by means of force or fear of injury. NRS 200.380 is a category B felony, punishable by two to fifteen years imprisonment. For the deadly weapon enhancement, the judge can increase the sentence by up to twenty years as long as the added time does not exceed the underlying sentence.

The Office of Criminal Justice Assistance granted $350,000 to Carson City, Lyon County and Douglas County to create a regional initiative to prevent gang crimes in Nevada. Carson City Sheriff Kenny Furlong explained that having a three-county team will help control the growing gang issues plaguing the area: “The grant acknowledges that gangs do not recognize our county lines. They often live, function and create discord in many different areas at the same time . . .This characteristic requires intense multi-agency cooperation and communications.”

The grant is just another step in northern Nevada's crackdown on gang crimes in Nevada. In 2007, Carson City created two deputy jobs devoted to combating street level drugs. The following year, the team was expanded to four people. Carson City also received a grant of nearly $30,000 to create the Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Program. Part of this new grant will go to secondary school prevention classes and enabling the three counties to share information.

Gang crimes in Nevada can result in hefty penalties and devastating consequences for non-citizens, who may be deported for many gang-related activities.

The Office of Criminal Justice Assistance granted $350,000 to Carson City, Lyon County and Douglas County to create a regional gang initiative. Carson City Sheriff Kenny Furlong explained that having a three-county team will help control the growing gang issues plaguing the area: “The grant acknowledges that gangs do not recognize our county lines. They often live, function and create discord in many different areas at the same time . . . This characteristic requires intense multi-agency cooperation and communications.”

The grant is just another step in northern Nevada's crackdown on gang crimes in Nevada. In 2007, Carson City created two deputy jobs devoted to combating street level drugs. The following year, the team was expanded to four people. Carson City also received a grant of nearly $30,000 to create the Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Program. Part of this new grant will go to secondary school prevention classes and enabling the three counties to share information.

Gang crimes in Nevada can result in hefty penalties and devastating consequences for non-citizens, who may be deported for many gang-related activities.

Nevada Governor Jim Gibbons announced Friday that he will be creating a Nevada Crime Commission, which will examine state crime problems and suggest creative ways to fight them. Gibbons explained, “One of the primary purposes of government is to protect citizens from criminals. I plan to create the Nevada Crime Commission to explore new ways to reduce crime in Nevada and find real solutions to ‘current day’ crime problems.”

In its effort to understand and fight crime trends in Nevada, the commission will be able to create its own task forces and seek funding and grants. Some of the specific crime areas the Nevada Crime Commission will target include mortgage fraud, Medicare/Medicaid fraud, internet crime, gang crimes, prescription drug abuse, and immigration crimes in Nevada.

The Nevada Crime Commission will be made up of law enforcement officers, prosecutors, various business and community leaders, activists, and representatives of various crime victims groups. It will also include appropriate federal agencies; for instance, members from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will be invited to participate to help combat immigration crimes in Nevada.

Twenty-two year old Miguele Rubio, who was court-ordered to stay away from gangs, was taken into custody last week when law enforcement allegedly observed him near Carson City’s Lima Street Gang. Rubio is now in a Douglas County Jail awaiting his next court date.

Rubio was originally arrested in March along with Andrew Tagay, a gang member, for allegedly mugging two teens. He pled guilty to robbery in Nevada and was given a suspended sentence on the condition that he avoid all gang crimes in Nevada, including being near any gang members.

Gang crimes in Nevada are penalized harshly by the state courts, enhancing an underlying criminal sentence by one to twenty years.