Californian faces prison in vehicle burglaries

A California man admitted to two felonies in connection with several vehicle burglaries that occurred last spring.

Harvis Earl Berry, 35, faces up to 14 years in prison after he entered guilty pleas to burglary and fraudulent use of a credit card.

Berry and Carolyn Brinkman, 33, were arrested after Douglas County investigators set up surveillance of the Jacks Valley trailhead and spotted them checking out vehicles.

When they were pulled over, several credit cards were found in their possession.

According to court documents, the thefts occurred May 17-23 and involved $12,000 in charges. Under a plea agreement, prosecutors will recommend that Berry serve his sentences simultaneously and that any prison term would be suspended.

District Judge Tod Young set a Feb. 16, 2021, sentencing date.

“I’m going to want to hear why he shouldn’t go to prison,” Young said.

• A 73-year-old woman faces a mandatory minimum prison sentence after she admitted to driving under the influence with a prior felony.

Alice Wohlers-Peters could be sentenced to 2-15 years and at least a $2,000 fine. Attorney John Malone said she had a .237 blood alcohol content when she was arrested on June 13 on Highway 395 near Stodieck Parkway.

Malone said at a previous hearing that Wohlers-Peters had sold her home in preparation for her eventual incarceration.

She was sent to prison in 2006 for a third DUI in seven years. Under Nevada law, once someone has been convicted of a felony DUI, any subsequent DUI is punishable by a mandatory prison sentence.

Sentencing was delayed until late March because Wohlers-Peters is scheduled to have back surgery.

• A 13-year-old girl who slipped a note to a store clerk seeking help with her living conditions urged a judge to order her mother to undergo mental health treatment.

“She’s smarter than I am,” Debra Sue Daggett said on Tuesday. “She deserves a better mom.”

Daggett’s daughter told District Judge Tod Young that her mother has been to jail before and that it didn’t help.

Daggett received a suspended 364-day jail sentence after she admitted a charge of gross misdemeanor child endangerment.

• A man convicted of credit card theft received a suspended 2-5-year sentence.

Corey Owens, 31, is scheduled to be paroled from prison in February. He admitted to stealing two welders from Home Depot earlier this month.

• A Gardnerville woman admitted a charge of possession of methamphetamine for sale on Monday.

Lorissa Jim, 34, faces 1-4 years in prison at her Feb. 1 sentencing. Unless she is accepted into an inpatient rehabilitation program of at least 30 days long she will remain in custody.

• A trial date for a Dresslerville woman accused of felony DUI was vacated on Tuesday after her attorney said he was hospitalized with the coronavirus.

Leila Winnie Skenandore, 49, was arrested May 8. An active arrest warrant has been issued for failing bail conditions by drinking and failing to comply. She called into court on Tuesday, and was told that she had to be there in person on Feb. 2, for a pre-trial conference.