Carson City woman pleads guilty to embezzling $250,000 from business

A Carson City woman pleaded guilty in district court Tuesday morning to embezzling nearly $250,000 from a local business.

Barbara Jean Larson, 56, told the judge she embezzled $246,800 over a period of years as the business manager for CINC Industries, which creates centrifuges. Larson also pleaded guilty to repayment of benefits received as result of false statement or failure to disclose material fact after she obtained $924 of unemployment benefits unfairly.

Larson told investigators at the time that she had a gambling problem and was responsible for taking care of her 87-year-old mother and grandchildren.

Larson could face up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine on the embezzlement count and five years in prison and a $10,000 fine for the benefits fraud.

Sentencing was set for June 4.

SENTENCE REMAINS IN CHILD-PORN CASE

A Carson City man who was sentenced Feb. 12 to a year to 32 months in prison, and subsequently challenged his sentence, had the challenge dismissed and his sentence reaffirmed Tuesday morning in district court.

Dwayne Allen Reed, 51, pleaded guilty July 3, 2011, to viewing child pornography. The day Reed was supposed to turn himself in, his attorney challenged the sentencing and a new pre-sentence investigation was prepared. His reasoning was that the Division of Parole and Probation originally used a report that the court did not consider after expert testimony called its conclusions and methods into question.

The first report described Reed as being at a high risk to re-offend, and the second report described him as low-risk. Judge James Wilson said he considered the second, lower-risk-finding report and told Reed and his attorney the sentence would stand.

“My opinion hasn’t changed,” Wilson said. He enumerated the factors he considered, both those in Reed’s favor and against him.

There was no evidence Reed had shared the photos or otherwise collected or curated them, which would make him a higher risk to re-offend, and his criminal history was minimal.

“This is a minimum-sentence case, but some of the other factors, such as the nature of the images,” had weight, Wilson said.

Wilson described four of the images Reed had viewed, which involved children ages 2-4 being molested.

“It’s inherently evil, and that’s why the Legislature makes it a felony to even view it,” Wilson said.

Part of the sentence is meant to be a deterrent to Reed so he does not view child pornography again and part is meant to be a deterrent to others, Wilson said.

MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO HOME INVASION

A Carson City man pleaded guilty in district court to home invasion and subordination of perjury. Dennis Harrison Jr. pleaded guilty for breaking down the door of his ex-girlfriend’s apartment, and for attempting to have the witness change her testimony.

The home invasion carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine. The second count, subordination of perjury, carries a maximum of four years in prison and a $5,000 fine. Harrison told the judge he forcibly entered the victim’s residence and that he attempted to have her change her testimony.

Sentencing is set for May 21.

OTHER NEWS IN DISTRICT COURT

• Matthew Scott Hanson, 23, pleaded guilty to unlawful contact with a minor, a gross misdemeanor. Hanson was first arrested on a statutory-sexual-seduction warrant March 6. He faces up to a year in the Carson City jail and a $2,000 fine. His sentencing is set for April 30.

• Cory Robert Campau-Pinkham pleaded guilty to unlawful contact with a child under 16 and five years younger than himself. He faces up to a year in the Carson City jail and a fine of $2,000. His sentencing is set for June 4.