Pershing County’s 11th Judicial Court met on Monday, July 2. Judge Jim Shirley presided. Four defendants appeared before noon.
Lovelock man
gets probation
Charles Kenyon Smiths’ court hearings ran from April 2017 until July 2018. On Monday the defendant moved to a new phase in life, probation.
Attorney Rendal Miller, from Winnemucca, represented Smith. DDA Todd Banks argued for the State of Nevada.
Judge Jim Shirley gave Smith four months in jail for the unlawful use of a controlled substance. The judge suspended the term with probation not to exceed three years.
On the charge of felony possession for sale, the judge gave Smith 12-32 months in prison, suspended, with 12 days credit for time served. Smith’s probation will not exceed four years.
Judge Shirley ran the sentences concurrently.
Judge revokes prison inmate’s probation
Law enforcement brought Travis Michael Morrison to court from Lovelock Correctional Center. He faced a probation violation hearing.
The judge greeted the defendants’ mother, seated in a back row.
The violation report told the story.
“On Sept. 12, 2017, you provided a urinalysis test that was presumptively positive for methamphetamine,” read Judge Shirley. “You admitted to having smoked methamphetamine on Sept. 8, 2017.”
On Sept. 18, 2017, Morrison tested positive for alcohol, continued the report.
The Office of Parole and Probation admonished the defendant. They referred him to counseling to fight his addiction.
But on Oct. 24, 2017, the defendant admitted to drinking half a pint of vodka in two hours. A DUI report recorded Morrison’s blood alcohol at 0.123. The legal limit for adult Nevadans is 0.08 BAC.
Officers transported Morrison to the Washoe County Jail. The Nevada Department of Corrections (NDOC) revoked his parole on a 2016 burglary conviction.
Steve Cochran spoke on behalf of his client.
“Out of this incident there’s already been a hefty amount of punishment because Mr. Morrison returned to prison for almost the entire year,” said the attorney. “His sentence expires soon.”
The judge revoked Morrison’s probation. He’ll serve the remainder of his 12-34 month prison sentence with 256 days credit for time served.
Lovelock man pleads guilty to weapons charge
Miguel Angel Rodriguez pleaded guilty to the possession of a dangerous weapon, a knife. He faces sentencing for the gross misdemeanor on Sept. 5, 2018.
California man
gets second chance
A car crash spurred the next defendant into the courtroom.
Vincent John Vizgaudis, 32, faced sentencing on three charges: the possession of a controlled substance, the unlawful use of a controlled substance and the possession of a dangerous drug without a prescription.
Earlier this year, the Californian crashed his car in Pershing County. An investigation by law enforcement turned up a plethora of controlled substances.
On Monday, officers brought the defendant to court from the Pershing County jail, his residence for the past few months.
“Mr. Vizgaudis has spent over 100 days in jail on a mandatory probation case,” argued Steve Cochran.
The public defender acknowledged that Vizgaudis got in a fight at the jail. Neither he or the other inmate sustained injuries. But the altercation resulted in charges against Vizgaudis.
“But Mr. Vizgaudis recognizes the silver lining of his incarceration. It gave him time to sober up and gain some clarity,” added his attorney.“We’re asking Your Honor to make this a minimum sentence, suspend it and give him credit for time served.”
Before sentencing, Vizgaudis read a letter to the judge.
“I’m not a bad person or a criminal, I’m a sick person,” he said.
Vizgaudis spoke about his life. At 20, he launched a career as a commercial fisherman in Alaska. Despite his addictions, the defendant climbed to one of the top rungs in the trade.
But his riches rang hollow.
“In five months, I’d make 30, 40 or 60,000 dollars, come back home and blow it all,” he said. “I have very little to show for my efforts. My body is falling apart, and it’s time for a change.”
During his year in jail, the defendant wrote a book about addiction. He plans to become a certified drug and alcohol counselor.
The judge gave Vizgaudis 12-32 months in prison, suspended, with probation not to exceed five years. He must get a substance abuse evaluation within 45 days of his release from jail.
“If you publish that book, send me a copy,” said the judge. “I’ll pay for it.”
