Teen sent to prison for cocaine sales

An 18-year-old Minden youth was sentenced Tuesday to five years in Nevada State Prison for his part in sales of cocaine to undercover officers.

District Judge Dave Gamble urged Elliot Liebowitz to use the time to mature.

"I hope this is the last time you ever stand in front of someone like me," Gamble said.

Liebowitz told the judge that he had been a serious addict since he was 14.

"I treated my family with complete disrespect," he said. "When I am not on drugs, I am a great person. I found God and I have him in my life for the first time. I am going to change my life."

Liebowitz admitted selling 3 ounces of cocaine to undercover Douglas County officers in January when he was 17. He accepted the money and delivered the drugs to officers between Jan. 5 and Jan. 18.

Liebowitz's attorney, Tod Young, said although the charge was serious, his client was "still childlike."

"Elliot came into this case as a 17-year-old boy. He's 18 now, but still a boy," Young said.

He said the root of Liebowitz's problem was his cocaine addiction.

"Elliot is an addict. He has a terrible cocaine problem. He got a bonus from the military when he enlisted and he spent most of it on cocaine and other drugs. He lives in a culture where drugs are glorified. It turns him from being a young man who had a chance to turn his life around to someone who lost a great opportunity in the military," Young said.

In a letter to Gamble, Liebowitz's father claimed that his son was set up by the Douglas County Sheriff's Office and the District Attorney's office.

Claiming the defendant was a victim, David Liebowitz implored Gamble to sentence his son to time served and place him on probation.

Addressing the issues raised in the letter, Gamble said he didn't find fault with the Street Enforcement Team's tactics.

"I don't find fault with law enforcement seeking to impact drug trafficking in our community by getting anybody willing to traffic to do so," Gamble said. "When you read the police reports, what's startling to me has to do with the joy and excitement that these kids feel in doing this. I specifically find that the task force did not overstep their bounds.

"I hope you can think back to how cool you thought that was up until the time you found out that you sold to undercover cops," Gamble said. "That's gross. That's wrong."

Gamble said he also was hampered in sentencing Liebowitz by the Nevada Legislature which set mandatory prison sentences for sales and trafficking unless the defendant provides substantial assistance to law enforcement.

"I should send you to the regimental discipline program, but I can't do that," Gamble said.

Prosecutor Kristine Brown referred to Liebowitz's subsequent arrests for probation violations and the fact that he was expelled from an in-patient treatment program for using alcohol and tobacco.

"He has brought this on himself," she said. "He took his military bonus and brought drugs for himself and others. He had a party at his house and refused to answer the door when law enforcement showed up because of neighbor's complaints. He was kicked out of Sierra Recovery. He blew the opportunity to provide substantial assistance. He has earned his way into prison."

Gibbons told Liebowitz he would be eligible for parole in two years. He gave him credit for 142 days served and fined him $1,000.