Sixth Judicial District Court

Daniel Joseph Shaw, at just 25 years old, has been in prison twice. If he gets a job and stays out of trouble, he’ll have an opportunity to avoid a third prison sentence. Shaw was charged with a category C felony for taking a woman’s purse from a local casino. He was identified from surveillance video. 

Shaw told the judge, “I admit to my mistake and ask for probation to give me a chance to make a change in my life.

Shaw had no job at the time of his arrest and Judge Michael Montero commented that his PSI did not show any significant employment history.

When Shaw said he wanted to change that, the judge asked him what he would anticipate doing for employment. “I will just put an application in everywhere,” he answered.

Montero levied a $25 administrative assessment, $153 for DNA collection and analysis and a $250 public defender fee. He sentenced Shaw to 12-36 months in prison, with credit for 96 days already served in jail, then suspended the sentence. Shaw will be on probation for three years with the usual requirements and special emphasis on getting a job within 30 days of his release from jail.

Looking over Shaw’s record, the judge said, “I’m embarrassed for you.” He sentenced Shaw to serve another 30 days in jail before his release.

Jeffrey Andrew Gaskin went before District Judge Michael Montero to face felony charges of possession of a stolen vehicle and possession of a controlled substance — methamphetamine. He told the judge that the underlying cause for 90 percent of his problems with the law, including seven prior felony convictions and five prior prison sentences, was an addiction to methamphetamine. He said he had been clean and sober from 2009-2015, when a divorce caused him to relapse.

“From 2015 until now, I’ve been as high as I could be,” he told the judge. He said in all that time, he has never had the opportunity to receive drug treatment. Montero asked him why that was. He said he didn’t know.

Public Defender Matthew Stermitz said Gaskin was traveling through the Winnemucca area on Interstate 80, with no intent to stop here, when he was arrested. Stermitz noted that in return for his guilty plea to the charge of possession of a controlled substance, the prosecution agreed to drop the charge of possession of a stolen vehicle.

Stermitz added that Gaskin is still facing a sentencing for a felony charge in Washoe County. “They’ll decide what to do with him; it seems to me that’s the appropriate court to consider prison,” Stermitz said. “His connections all appear to be California and Reno.”

Debbie Okuma of The Division of Parole and Probation noted Gaskin’s seven prior felony convictions, five prior prison sentences, two instances of revoked probation, seven parole revocations and a history of violence. After his arrest in this case and pre-sentence release, he was arrested again for four separate felony offenses and a misdemeanor offense, including the Washoe County charges. P&P recommended a prison sentence of 19-41 months.

Deputy District Attorney Anthony Gordon said he didn’t think Sixth Judicial District Court could abdicate its responsibility for crimes committed within this jurisdiction. He pointed out instances in Gaskin’s record of violent conduct.

“Here we have this report indicating seven prior felonies. The one in Washoe County would be eight and this one would be nine,” said Gordon, adding that Gaskin is only 38 years old.

Gaskin was sentenced to 15-48 months with credit for 72 days. Bail posted was forfeited to fines and fees to the court including $153 for DNA collection and analysis, $25 administrative assessment, $60 forensic fee and a $250 public defender fee.

A woman with two teen-aged daughters was back in district court for probation violation. Melissa Dawn Buckmaster was arrested on drug charges. Her probation violations have been for drug possession. Public Defender Matt Stermitz said Buckmaster wanted an opportunity to deal with her drug addiction, noting she can’t effectively function as a mother in her current condition.

Buckmaster lives in Lovelock, so the request was for her to be allowed to request acceptance into the 11th Judicial District’s Drug Court Program in Lovelock.

Judge Montero granted that request. If Lovelock declines to accept Buckmaster, she will come back into court.