New charges filed against extortionists

by Sheila Gardner

sgardner@recordcourier.com

Minutes after he began serving a one-year sentence in Douglas County Jail for attempted extortion on Aug. 25, inmate Robert Pierce was served with an arrest warrant for a similar incident that allegedly occurred three weeks earlier.

Pierce, 32, was sentenced Monday by District Judge Michael Gibbons to a suspended four-year sentence in Nevada State Prison and placed on four years probation.

Terms of the probation include one year in Douglas County Jail with credit for 143 days served.

According to court documents, Pierce and north Valley resident Timothy Young, 27, attempted to collect on a debt owed by a man Young had provided a tattoo for in exchange for a vehicle.

When it turned out the man wasn't authorized to sign over the vehicle, Young allegedly tried to intimidate the man into giving him the truck.

According to reports, the victim was driven into the desert Aug. 25 and punched.

Young was sentenced Jan. 25 to 13-60 months for his part in the incident.

After Pierce was taken to jail following sentencing Monday, he was served with a new complaint charging him and Young with kidnapping in the first degree and robbery with use of a deadly weapon.

While investigating the Aug. 25 incident, officials learned of a similar incident that allegedly occurred Aug. 3 involving a different person.

The victim in the new case said Pierce and Young came to his residence in Carson City and forced him into a van. He claimed they drove him to the desert near Bodie Flats, used pepper spray, threatened him with a knife and took his wallet and clothing except for his socks and underwear.

He walked to a residence and summoned help.

Pierce is to appear in East Fork Justice Court today for arraignment on the new charge. Young is to be served in Nevada State Prison.

During his sentencing on Monday, Pierce's lawyer William Routsis portrayed his client as a good person who made a bad decision in the Aug. 25 offense.

He said Pierce had been a fire captain in California, worked in the family business, attended church, aided veterans and homeless people and helped with the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

"He would be a good candidate for probation. He's not as tough as everybody thinks he is," Routsis said.

The victim and his wife testified that the incident had a profound impact on their lives.

"All of my husband's property was lost. It took countless hours to get the property back. We feel Mr. Pierce is as guilty as Mr. Young. He was equally part of the crime against my husband," the victim's wife said.

The victim testified he felt Pierce was as culpable as Young.

"I don't think Robert was in the wrong place at the wrong time. He was as involved as Timothy Young," the man said.

Prosecutor Laurie Trotter said Pierce had downplayed his culpability from the beginning. She said he violated terms of his bail release by testing positive for methamphetamine and ignoring orders to stay out of parts of the county where he might run into the victim.

Pierce claimed he used methamphetamine once in an effort to get admitted to Western Nevada Regional Drug Court.

"I've never once ever done drugs prior to that," he said. "That is not part of my lifestyle. All I do is help people. I've saved many lives of people who were in fires and traffic accidents.

"I made a mistake. I am sorry. I am remorseful and ashamed," he said.

Gibbons said there were factors in Pierce's background that indicated he could be productive and not re-offend.

"A lot of times crimes don't happen unless two people are working together," he said. "You actually struck him (the victim). You helped Mr. Young complete any plans."

In addition to jail time, Gibbons ordered Pierce to perform 40 hours of community service, attend anger management classes and stay away from the codefendant and the victim and his family.

"You're getting your chance. You better make good use of it," Gibbons said.