Via today’s RGJ website: the RPD has arrested 7 “suspected” prostitutes in a sting operation and then the RGJ went to the trouble of putting the names and mugshots of those women online.  Great job, guys.

Here’s an idea:  do sting operations that target johns.  Sting operations that target prostitutes should be used to put prostitutes in touch with treatment programs that could potentially change their lives for the better, not treat them as criminals for being addicted and in poverty.

One might think this would be a no-brainer in a state that already has legalized prostitution, but Nevada’s bizarre combination of libertarian rhetoric and authoritarian actions seemingly knows no bounds.  It’s time for a change.

After allegedly raping a 17-year-old girl at a party in which he provided alcohol, 23-year-old homeless man Marquis Dewitt would be much better in the hands of the police, it seems.

“Dewitt is described as a light skinned black male adult standing 6’3″ and weighing 200lbs. He has black hair, brown eyes and a piercing through his right nostril and the left side of his lower lip. Dewitt also has a tattoo of a rose on his right arm.

He is homeless and is said to flop at various homes throughout the city of Sparks.

Dewitt does not have a car but gets around town riding a tan BMX style bicycle. He is said to frequent the following areas in Sparks: Burgess Park, the 7-11 on Baring Blvd, Reed High School, the 800 block of E. York, 1000 block of Baywood Drive and the 1100 block of La Quinta.”

Have you seen him? Call Sparks Police Department at 775-353-2231, Sparks Detectives at 775-353-2225, Detective Steve Fiore at 775-353-2241 ext. 504 or Secret Witness at 775-322-4900 — they’d be glad you did.

(portions of story courtesy KOLO)

In yesterday’s news roundup, I included an item I found on City of Reno’s website about a robbery which occurred at 3:46 AM on S. Wells Ave.  The item mentioned that a press release was coming.

Turns out, the item was referring to an arrest RPD made after they followed a suspect, Anthony Lamont Smith, as he robbed the 7-11 on South Wells at Cheney St.  The release did come and here are some more details from it.

RPD was following Smith around because, to quote the report, he “is a 12 time convicted felon who has served 8 prison incarcerations. His previous felony offenses include convictions for Robbery, Burglary, Grand Larceny, Theft, Escape, Possession of Stolen Property and being a Habitual Criminal. Smith was recently paroled from prison to the Reno area as a result of a robbery conviction out of Las Vegas, Nevada in 2004.”  After robbing the 7-11, Smith fled on his bicycle, following a well-worn route to his residence.  The police apprehended him there after a foot chase.

What was this guy doing out of prison?  He is hopefully on his way back there, after being booked into the county jail on charges of armed robbery, burglary and obstructing & resisting an officer.

The Unabomber's Hoodie and Aviator Glasses. Now on sale by the US Marshalls. From the US Marshals Public Affairs's Flickr stream.

After years of legal battles, the US Marshals are about to sell off Ted Kaczynski’s (better known as the Unabomber , who is a mathematical genius and professor that dropped out of society, became a neo-luddite, and waged a twenty year, one man war against modern technology with bombs he sent through the mail, killing three people and injuring 20) stuff.  Yes!  The auction starts on May 18, and the money earned from the auction will go to help the Unabomber’s victims, ending on June 2.

You can get the Unabomber’s infamous grey hoodie and aviator glasses, his tennis shoes, hiking boots and even his tool kits, used to make his bombs.  You can get the typewriter that Ted used to write his Manifesto along with the original copies of the Manifesto: one typewritten and one handwritten, and his very well used notebooks. Now’s your chance to get all kinds of normal, everyday stuff that once belonged to one of the most infamous criminals of the last 50 years!

The website for the auction is http://www.gsaauctions.gov/. And, if you want to see what’s up for sale go to the Flickr site for the US Marshals Public Affairs team.

Quite honestly, I don’t even know what to say about this. Something about removing a fly from a friend’s nose with a hatchet, or to that effect.

While I am perfectly okay and with the guy getting pissed off about some kids making his job harder, spending tax dollars to fix the park, but can we say “public relations?”

In today’s world, Big Brother is actually, and most likely, someone’s little brother, with an iPhone or some other kind of recording device, catching people in what should be considered embarrassing acts. Would the City of Reno or Washoe County be particularly thrilled to hear this guy talking like this to the kids of taxpayers? Lack of identification aside, even if he were an authority with a badge, should he be engaging people like this? Most notably, saying Reno is a shit hole meanwhile trying to instill a sense of fear and morality of local youth, even more while supposed to be doing a job for the City of Reno.   Interesting approach.

Especially since the kids were of the general opinion, “Okay, we’ll leave—-sorry…”  None of the youth were being jerks, well, unless you ask the trees and landscaping.  And this guy.

I’ll let the rest of you decide. It’s funny in one way, disturbing in others, and filled with not-safe-for-work audio content.

QRA saves the day.

I’m not kidding.  It’s happening again.   This article in the RGJ has found yet another teacher apparently willing to satisfy her own urges as a perk of her job.   Here we have Bethyl “Beth” Shepherd, school district employee since 2001 and Reed High School special education teacher, accused of having sex with Reed students in her car off school property.  Felony counts of sexual misconduct between a teacher and pupil have been filed.  As of Monday, this is making the RGJ and hopefully other news outlets.

Why is this important?

A few weeks ago, my article on Marie Fisher, another female child rapist that was basically given no attention by media, parents, and practically treated like  a mischief maker, outlined many concerns I had.  Concerns that have obviously proven correct:  Washoe County School District apparently has more foxes in the hen house to take care of.

I’m speechless, honestly.  I’m also not going to repeat everything I said prior toward Marie Fisher, because it’d be wasted breath.  I am, however, going to say, once again, if this isn’t a big deal, parents, expect to see teachers coming to your boys when they’re 18 asking for Child Support.   Heck, they might not even wait that long, you may be paying for it YOURSELF if they aren’t 18 yet.

Our local expert WCSD Police Chief Mike Mieras is quoted in the RGJ:

“‘Well, there are two sides to a story,’ but after interviews with other sources, he added, enough information had      been gathered to suggest probable cause. ‘What her allegations are at this time are not quite matching up to the accounts of what was reported to us,’ Mieras said.”

Why is Chief Mieras the one cop who seems to be extremely understanding to a potential  criminal?  Or is it just me?  Considering there are underage kids involved, I’m curious as to what level of “story” is needed.  No, seriously, I would LOVE to hear these stories.

The RGJ is also quoted:

“Mieras said school district area superintendent Lynn Rauh, who oversees Reed, is going to meet with Principal Mary Vesco and do some training with the staff on appropriate behavior and personal relationships with students.”

The most important thing to note here is “to do some training with.”  The fact this is happening at all in such a cavalier way sucks.  Again, do we need to put signs up in the class reminding teachers to not screw students?  Should we have hall monitors for the teachers AND students?  I’m so glad I’m not a parent.  If I were, I’d have two sets of people to be upset at:  the school and district, and other parents for not holding higher standards.

Well done, Reed High, well done Washoe County School district, and well done society:  sexism goes both ways, and underage sex isn’t treated the same between female offenders and males, when it obviously should be.   I wonder where Chief Mieras was when this was happening.   Please, give us some kind of generic assurance everything is great at Reed High.

A community whistle-blower hot line, 877-874-8416 or school district Secret Witness at 775-329-6666 can be used to report the activities that can’t seem to be prevented by the school district or WCSD police.

Anyone has any additional information about the case can contact school district Detective Sgt. Michelle Burrell at 775-348-0285 — perhaps mention that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Hey, newsflash to the school administrators:  do your job now, or go find new ones–away from kids.

The end.

(photo courtesy RGJ/Washoe County)

I’m a firearms enthusiast, a 2nd Amendment supporter, and enjoy Nevada’s gun culture.  I’m no supporter of mayhem and tragedy, but I’d like to say a few words regarding the recent homeowner/robber shooting on Everett Drive.   This RGJ article has the  information which I’ll be referring to, and I’ll address notable things the article mentions but does not properly illuminate.   Mainly, my questions and opinions stem from how this incident came together, and why.  Reno’s crime is on the rise, and we’re in desperate times–people are bored at best and at the end of their rope at worst.

One, the homeowner.  There are instances that experienced people interested in self-preservation know not to get into.   From the way things reportedly went down, I’m not sure I would have reacted the same way–possibly putting myself in harm’s way.  This homeowner has debatably “done the right thing,” depending on who you ask.   My question is, even though he decided to go outside, did he bother calling the police since the situation obviously merited him “packing heat” to begin with?

Two, the assailant and his weapon.  A minor detail I want to bring up is the mention of  “a clip to an Airsoft pellet rifle,”  (I think they mean “magazine,”) but it is unknown whether this was from the weapon/toy used in the confrontation.  Rifles won’t require “working the slide,” they have a bolt.  Well…what was it?  Was the toy modified to look like a real gun?  A rifle?  A real handgun would have been illegal for a 19 year old to to possess.  An airsoft gun would be a different story.   Brandishing either and trying to rob someone is downright dumb.

Lastly, intent.  Were these “good” suburban goof-off kids acting completely stupid?  Did someone know them?  Or were they “bad” young criminals with records from the “wrong side of town,” acting in desperation to rob this guy (or anyone)?  On strictly Reno standards,  Everett drive isn’t the best neighborhood, nor is it the worst.   Worth being aware, but not paranoid, for sure.

Regardless of how this situation ended up, there’s a few more things worth stating, since I’m not a journalist, but a bit more attuned to the situation and willing to write about it than other journalism sources.

I remember back in the late 1980′s and early 1990′s when guns (especially toy guns) were a problem.  They started putting orange caps and wacky colors on them to make sure edgy police didn’t mistake a kid for a crook.  Even the Nintendo Entertainment System’s famous “duck hunt” laser gun went from a gray sci-fi looking prop to this orange…thing.   These Airsoft guns we have these days look like real guns:  a little black spray paint and poof, “real gun” time.  Provided this was what was used by the dead 19 year old–we just don’t know.  I don’t even think Airsoft guns should be bright orange or not, or if we should simply teach our kids what real guns do,  or how not to be stupid to a deadly end.

The homeowner carrying the real 9mm was being a vigilante, but possibly for the right reasons.   It’s a situation that probably irritates the shit out of cops, for just this outcome and reason.   Of course the man has the right to defend his person and home, but one has to wonder if this incident would have happned if he hadn’t confronted the truck full of guys.

We also don’t know if they would have hurt or simply harassed someone else–premeditated joke or crime notwithstanding.  If they were hell-bent on crime, especially with the robberies and muggings in Reno lately,  this might have been an inevitable outcome:  one cops might not have responded to in time.

“What if, what if, what if?”  It’s all over, now.  Joke or not, if you confront a homeowner (or just about anyone, anywhere here) and pull out what even looks like a dangerous weapon, this is Nevada, we carry guns sometimes–legal ones that homeowners have the right to bear, either open-carry (that anyone not a felon can participate in) or concealed (with permit).  This won’t change any time soon, nor should it.

The moral of the story is, don’t threaten to shoot someone, prank or not, and you likely won’t get shot by a law-abiding gun owner.   Unless the situation is already life or death,  or have training for this kind of situation, take time and think before you act–call the professionals.

Since the incident, the police have determined the man acted in self-defense, an I can side with the police if their investigation concluded this.   If that’s the case, then good for the shooter.   Crooks that fear are crooks that think twice, if you ask me.

Joker or thug, the kid who died didn’t think twice, and neither did the shooter.   There’s room to ponder this fact within all of us.

From the RGJ.  Allegedly on Sunday, April 3, Jacob Daniel Hunt, was “rooting around” inside a dumpster on Enterprise Drive by UNR.

A man who lived near the dumpster, got out of his car to tell Mr. Hunt to stop doing that, leaving his wife and daughter in the car.  Mr. Hunt yelled “**** you”  at the man, pulling down his pants and exposing himself.  The man got out his camera and started taking pictures.  Then, Mr. Hunt said: “Take a picture of this.”, and mooned the man.  Mr. Hunt left the scene of the crime on his bike and a few blocks away the police arrested him.  The police arrested Mr. Hunt for suspicion of public indecency and put him in the Washoe County Jail. Later, Mr. Hunt posted bail of $1500 and was released.

This is a perfect example of QRA, in my opinion. The man in the story simply told Mr. Hunt to get out of the dumpster, and what does get in return? A bit of sunshine and some moon too. Isn’t QRA just taking things to a higher level of crazy and strange?  I think it must be something in the air, or the water, or in the mountains around us here in Reno. I think if there’s any money or people capable of research left at UNR after it’s gutted in the coming budget, QRA should be studied and considered, post haste.  It is something that needs to be studied and understood.

If you know the whereabouts of Lesmen Sanchez, won’t you please contact RPD. 

From the release:

Lesmen Sanchez was last seen jumping into the Truckee River by Grand Sierra Security Officers on March 22, 2011 at approximately 0330 hours. Last visual on Sanchez placed him under the Greg Street Bridge. At the time Mr. Sanchez jumped into the river, Grand Sierra Security was attempting to make contact with him concerning some suspicious activity on their premises.

It is unknown at this time if Mr. Sanchez made it out of the river. Therefore, Reno Fire Department has initiated a search of the river with their Water Entry Team (WET) in an effort to locate Mr. Sanchez.

Mr. Sanchez was last seen wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, black beanie cap, white t-shirt with a picture of female on the back, blue jeans and black shoes with white lettering. He has numerous tattoos and piercings.

If you have any information on Lesmen Sanchez’s whereabouts, please contact the Reno Police Department 334-2115 or 321-8372

Seems like the past few months have seen a bounty of bank robberies in Reno.  Cue today’s news of a robbery at the Wells Fargo on Sharlands & Mae Anne:

Today at about 2:00 p.m. a lone suspect entered the Wells Fargo bank located inside the Scolari’s at 6255 Sharlands Ave., Reno. The suspect approached the bank tellers and demanded money. He fled the bank after obtaining an undisclosed amount of money and at this time is still outstanding.

The suspect is described as a Black male adult, approximately 6-0, medium build, wearing a dark blue athletic-style suit with white stripes, dark colored beanie cap and sunglasses. Please see the attached surveillance photograph.

Anyone with information on this crime or the identity of the suspect is asked to call the Federal Bureau of Investigation at 328-4000, the Reno Police Department Robbery/Homicide Unit at 334-2188 or remain anonymous by calling Secret Witness at 322-4900.