Restitution set for bogus markers

A California man who admitted Monday to leaving bogus markers worth $50,000 at two Stateline casinos was ordered Monday to make restitution at $1,500 a month as soon as he pays off a similar debt in Las Vegas.

Sami Asadourian, 51, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to issue checks with insufficient funds.

District Judge Michael Gibbons suspended a one-year sentence in Douglas County Jail and placed Asadourian on three years probation for the 1999 crime. He must complete the restitution by the end of his probation.

He ordered Asadourian to begin making $500 monthly payments March 1. In August, when Asadourian completes making $72,000 restitution to Harrah's and Caesars casinos in Las Vegas, the payments increase to $1,500 a month.

"I will pay every penny back as long as I live," Asadourian said. "I have been a good citizen."

The defendant said he previously worked as an automobile salesman earning $8,000-$12,000 a month, but lost his license.

He is subject to random search and seizure and was ordered to stay out of gambling establishments during his probation.

n A 20-year-old Minden man was referred to Western Regional Drug Court on Monday after he admitted running up $1,182 in unauthorized credit card bills.

Kameron Mariolo pleaded guilty to possession of a credit card without the cardholder's consent, a felony with punishment of up to four years in prison and a $5,000 fine.

Sentencing will be deferred pending Mariolo's successful completion of drug court.

According to court reports, Mariolo took a credit card from the residence of a homeowner where he was a member of a construction crew. He reportedly left three credit cards in a sheriff's patrol car after he was picked up on a warrant.

The charges were accumulated from Nov. 14-Dec. 12, 2005.

The victim was reimbursed and Mariolo was ordered to make restitution to the bank.

n A Minden man was jailed on $16,032 bail Friday, charged with his fourth offense for driving under the influence since 1999.

Michael Austin, 64, was arrested after someone at Wal-Mart reported a man wandering around the parking lot at 7:15 a.m.

According to reports, Austin had purchased a bottle of vodka and was searching for his car in the parking lot.

Deputies pulled him over and said he smelled of alcohol. He reportedly told deputies he'd had two drinks since 2 a.m. When asked the time, Austin said he thought it was 2 a.m.

He has prior convictions for driving under the influence from Feb. 28, 1999, in Washoe County, Oct. 31, 2005, in Placer County, Calif., and Nov. 1, 2005, in Yolo County, Calif.

n Jewelry and coins valued at $2,080 were reported missing from an 89-year-old woman who was being moved from one assisted living facility to another.

The woman's son said she had rings, earrings and coins in a locked metal box at her residence. In addition, he said she had five $20 bills in her wallet.

As he was moving her to a new facility, he discovered the box had been tampered with and the items were missing. He said the money was gone from her wallet.

He alleged the items were taken between Jan. 5 and Jan. 22.

n An employee of Carson Valley Golf Course reported Jan. 28 that someone stole flags marking the holes.

When the person arrived for work, all 18 flags were missing. He found a dozen of the flags in ditches around the golf course in the Gardnerville Ranchos.

He said the six missing flags were valued at $240.

n A 62-year-old man was charged with misdemeanor theft after a cab driver alleged that he drove the suspect from Reno to Gardnerville and the passenger refused to pay the $127.86 fare.

The victim said he drove Philip Reddel from Fourth Street in Reno to the Village Motel in Gardnerville.

He said the suspect, who is deaf, indicated he had no money. When Reddel showed him a credit card, the driver brought him to Gardnerville.

Once they arrived at the motel, Reddel reportedly refused to pay the fair.

According to the sheriff's department, Reddel also had two warrants for insufficient funds stemming from two checks written in 2005 for $1,064 and $452.

He is to appear in East Fork Justice Court today.

Reddel was in custody in Douglas County Jail.