Neil Rombardo

With daily news reports of gang shootouts and knifings in cities all across America, I thought it would be good time to update our community on where Carson City stands when it comes to dealing with local gang issues. As we all know, growth brings challenges and sometimes those challenges include attracting those less than savory characters causing discomfort in an otherwise sedate and perceivably safe community.

The man who once threatened to disrupt the Nevada Day Parade and led anti-Carson City, South Lake Tahoe Police, El Dorado County Sheriff's Office, district attorney and judge campaigns will be spending the next seven years in prison after he was given the maximum sentence Friday in Sacramento Superior Court.

The man who has led anti-South Lake Tahoe Police, El Dorado County Sheriff, District Attorney and Judge campaigns was found guilty on Monday in Sacramento Superior Court on eight felony charges.

Former Carson City District Attorney Neil Rombardo has been named Chief General Council for the Washoe County School District, officials announced Tuesday. The district also hired a new police chief.

During my eight years as District Attorney of Carson City, I never hesitated to prosecute people who broke the law. But no matter how many convictions I won, I knew then as I know now that our streets will be a lot safer if we prevent more people from turning to crime in the first place.

UPDATE: Carson City District Attorney-Elect Jason Woodbury announced Wednesday he will appoint Kristin Luis to be Assistant District Attorney. She will replace Mark Krueger who is now serving as assistant district attorney under Neil Rombardo.

“Kristin embodies every principle I want the D.A.’s office to reflect,” said Woodbury. “She’s honest. Her judgment is sensible and consistent. And she’s the hardest working person I’ve ever known.”

Jason Woodbury will replace Neil Rombardo as Carson City District Attorney. When Rombardo decided not to run for re-election to a third term, Assistant District Attorney Mark Krueger filed for the post.

Neil Rombardo, the outgoing district attorney, submitted an opinion letter to Carson Now on October 10, supporting the candidacy of his assistant, Mark Krueger, for D.A. in Carson City. His letter briefly praises Krueger for his work experience and attention to crime victims. He then proceeds to criticize the other candidate for D.A., Jason Woodbury, through ad hominem attacks upon the people who support his election.

A Carson City judge sentenced a 57-year-old man to prison for terrorizing customers and employees with a loaded weapon at an Olive Garden restaurant here in July 2013.

David Paul Lane was handed the maximum sentence of at least 11 years by Judge James Wilson on one count of assault with a deadly weapon and one count of carrying a concealed weapon following last month's conviction.

On July 21, 2013, Lane entered Olive Garden with a concealed firearm, drew it and pointed it at employees and patrons. In arguing for the maximum sentence, Assistant District Attorney Mark Krueger stated:

A Carson City man was sentenced 35 years to life in prison on seven counts of sexually assaulting and abusing a child from 2005 to 2012. James G. Johnson, 49, was sentenced Monday in Carson City District Court for 7 different counts of illegal sexual acts with a minor.

Carson City District Attorney Neil Rombardo and Assistant District Attorney Mark Krueger recognized moms and their children at the Boys and Girls Club of Western Nevada.

The awards were in recognition of the first graduating pre-school class of the District Attorney’s Moms Program and recognition to the moms for learning new parenting and job skills to help them into the future, according to a news release.

It's a little late for Ground Hog Day, but the Carson City Board of Supervisors will have to redo the two votes required for raising the sales tax by 1/8 cent they approved two weeks ago.

According to District Attorney Neil Rombardo, they could not find the documentation to prove that notices were posted in City Hall two weeks prior to the two board meetings on Feb. 20 and March 6.

Carson City resident Joshua Grow was convicted Monday of trafficking 28 or more grams of methamphetamine by a jury of his peers, the Carson City District Attorney's Office announced.

Grow faces the maximum sentence of 10 years to life imprisonment or the minimum sentence of 10 to 25 years and a mandatory fine up to $500,000. He will be sentenced Feb. 3, 2014.

Jason Bender, 29, received a life sentence Monday with a possibility of parole after serving 10 years in prison for lewd acts upon a 6-year old child, according to the Carson City District Attorney's Office.

Bender, who was recently released from prison for an unrelated drug charge, groped a six year old female while her family and other adults were in a nearby room. The child later disclosed the fondling to her mother and Bender’s sister who in turn reported the crime to authorities.

The Carson City Chamber Blood Drive Challenge took off early Monday morning with the city's top officials donating blood. Arriving early, Sheriff Kenny Furlong was the first in line to give blood, followed by District Attorney Neil Rombardo.

Mayor Robert Crowell gave it a good try, but his iron was off a fraction of a point thus was denied the opportunity. He stuck around, however, to give Furlong and Rombardo moral support. The first Chamber board member to give blood this morning was Curt Spradley of Carson Coffee.

The local office of United Blood Services has challenged the Carson City Chamber to bring in 30 blood donors over the next two weeks beginning March 18 and ending March 30.

To kick off the event, Mayor Robert Crowell, Sheriff Kenny Furlong, District Attorney Neil Rombardo and Fire Chief Stacey Giomi will be the first to give blood at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, March 18.

Dance floors around town are heating up as contestants for ‘Dancing with the Stars’, Carson City Edition, polish their routines. The event takes place Saturday, March 9, 7 p.m. at the Carson High School gymnasium.

Local stars expected to compete include Sheriff Ken Furlong, District Attorney Neil Rombardo, City Supervisor/Adele’s co-owner Karen Abowd, Miss Carson City Vannesa Macias, and several others. They are teamed up with experienced dancers as they vie for the mirror ball trophy.

The public is invited to a very special Carson City Chamber educational luncheon on Monday that should be of interest to every mother, father, grandmother, grandfather, aunt, uncle and others concerned about drug use in our children beginning in the fourth grade.

Many well-meaning adults do not realize the drugs in their medicine cabinet may be the pathway to their child’s drug use.

The public is invited to a very special Carson City Chamber educational luncheon that should be of interest to every mother, father, grandmother, grandfather, aunt, uncle and others concerned about drug use in our children beginning in Grade 4.

Many well-meaning adults do not realize the drugs in their medicine cabinet may be the pathway to their child’s drug use.

A 49-year-old man was sentenced Monday in Carson City District to up to 6 years in prison for one felony count of eluding a peace officer and one count of sales of a controlled substance.
Mark Garner of Carson City, will spend up to 12 years in prison, according to a news release from the Carson City District Attorney's Office.

UPDATE 7:30PM: Carson City Sheriff Ken Furlong clarified Tuesday night that Desiree Bragg has not died as he was informed earlier today and shared with Carson Now. After speaking with family members late this afternoon Furlong said he learned that the woman's condition was 'unrecoverable' and family members are looking for organ donor arrangements.
Furlong said he apologizes for the miscommunication, saying he was erroneously informed that Bragg had died today. When Carson Now called to confirm the woman's passing after several Facebook posts suggesting Bragg had already been taken off life support, Furlong said he was informed earlier that she had indeed passed and regrets the error made in making the confirmation.

Here is a news release from the Carson City Sheriff's Office:

UPDATE JAN.29: Desiree Bragg, the woman who was chased and struck by a vehicle in a road rage incident on Saturday night in Carson City, has died.
Bragg was taken off life support Tuesday, Carson City Sheriff Ken Furlong confirmed. Friends on Facebook began posting messages on Carson Now. Furlong confirmed and said he and Carson City District Attorney Neil Rombardo were meeting and would make more information available later today.
Furlong said he believed Bragg was 19 years old but wasn't able to confirm her age at the time he spoke with Carson Now. He said he was alerted to her death while he was in a meeting.
The 27-year-old suspect, Leonardo Cardoza, will likely face murder charges.
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Carson City Sheriff Ken Furlong released more details into Saturday night's road rage incident that sent a Carson City woman to the hospital with serious injuries. The suspect, Leonardo Cardoza, 27, was also flown to the hospital and was released Sunday morning and is now in the Carson City Jail facing multiple felony charges including battery with a deadly weapon, leaving the scene of an accident with injuries and DUI.

The following report is from Sheriff Furlong:

UPDATE JAN. 29: Desiree Bragg, the woman who was chased and struck by a vehicle in a road rage incident on Saturday night in Carson City has died.
Bragg was taken off life support Tuesday, Carson City Sheriff Ken Furlong confirmed. Friends on Facebook began posting messages on Carson Now. Furlong confirmed and said he and Carson City District Attorney Neil Rombardo were meeting and would make more information available later today.

Carson City District Attorney Neil Rombardo reports that his Victim-Witness Services Division has seen a 57 percent increase in services provided to victims of crime in the first half of the year. Between January 1 and June 30, 2012, nearly 300 victims were served by the grant-funded Victim-Witness Coordinator. This represents a 57 percent increase over the same reporting period in 2011. Of the numbers 219 were victims of domestic violence, 73 were victims of stalking, and 7 were victims of sexual assault.

Liane Anderson, of Carson City, was sentenced on Tuesday to 40 to 102 months in prison following her conviction for felony Obtaining Money by False Pretenses and Fraudulent Use of a Credit Card.

Christopher Lash, 28, has been found guilty of Battery Causing Substantial Bodily Harm stemming from a March 25, 2011 altercation at a local bar in Carson City.

Carson City Sheriff’s deputies were called to a local establishment at 2:00 A.M. with reports of a man striking another man in the face with a pint glass. The suspect fled the scene when deputies arrived, but the deputies received statements from witnesses indicating Christopher Lash struck the victim, Nicholas Moen, in the face with a pint glass causing severe injuries.

Carson City District Attorney Neil Rombardo met with Senator Harry Reid, Senator Dean Heller, Representative Shelly Berkeley, and Representative Joe Heck on Capitol Hill today to urge continued support of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and Fight Crime and Invest in Kids, an anti-crime organization dedicated to early childhood crime prevention.

Daniel Lane Holley, 39, has been found guilty of Assaulting a Police Officer stemming from a September 30, 2011 domestic disturbance at Holley’s west side Carson City residence.

Carson City Sheriff’s deputies were called to Holley’s residence at approximately 5:30 p.m. on September 30, 2011, after a neighbor called 9-1-1 to report a loud disturbance coming from the house. Holley was gone when deputies arrived, but his girlfriend reported that Holley was very intoxicated and had been causing a disturbance at the house and in front of their infant child.

Carson City District Attorney Neil Rombardo says an anti-gang symposium held last week at Stateline was "an amazing success."The fourth annual Northern Nevada Gang Symposium was held last Thursday ...

Carson City District Attorney Neil Rombardo will speak before the National Narcotics Officers' Associations' Coalition at 2:15 p.m. Thursday at the Silver Legacy Hotel and Casino in Reno. Rombardo ...