Tirso De Jose Luis Rojas was recently granted a suspended sentence with 36 months of probation in Sixth Judicial District Court fol-lowing a no contest plea to possession of a controlled substance, a category D felony.
Rojas was represented by a private attorney, Rendal Miller, who made a recommendation to the court that his client be allowed to be placed on probation for the July 2018 charge. Miller said his client was driving through town to attend Burning Man and had methamphetamine in the car.
Deputy District Attorney Anthony Gordon said the state didn’t have an objection to the recommendation of probation other than a concern with Rojas’ history of DUI and reckless driving where drugs were found.
Rojas apologized to the court for his actions and pleaded for the chance at probation. He told the court he has fought fires since he was 18 years old and currently has the opportunity to work for himself and doesn’t want to see that ruined by prison time. Rojas said he plans to relocate to Paradise, California to work for the next couple of years.
Judge Michael Montero sentenced Rojas to 12–34 months in prison with two days credit for time served. The prison time was suspended under the stipulation he completes 36 months of probation with a full page of special conditions. Rojas was ordered to pay a $153 DNA collection & analysis fee, $25 administrative assessment fee and $60 forensic fee.
Conditions of Rojas’ probation include no alcohol or controlled substances, no over the counter medications unless prescribed by a physician, no huffing, sniffing or snorting, no cocktail lounges, no smoke shops, vape shops or marijuana dispensaries. Rojas was also ordered to complete a substance abuse evaluation within 60 days of his release from custody and follow the recommendations of the evaluation.
Following his sentence, Rojas was taken into custody and trans-ported to the Washoe County Jail under an outstanding warrant.
In a separate criminal matter, two counts of child abuse, neglect and endangerment against Miguel Villa were dismissed following Vil-la’s successful completion of the strengthening families program per stipulated attorney agreements.
