Man faces prison in lewdness charge

Under an agreement with prosecutors, a Minden man faces 2-5 years in prison after he admitted to a count of attempted lewdness with a child under the age of 14.

Fabian Daniel Benitez, 43, entered a conditional plea to the charge on Tuesday. The charge carries a maximum of 20 years in prison. Under the agreement, if the judge sought to impose a harsher penalty, Benitez could withdraw his plea and seek a jury trial on the charges.

He must obtain a psycho-sexual evaluation and will be subject to lifetime supervision as a sex offender.

His sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 8, 2022.

• A 20-year-old man who prosecutors say was purchasing marijuana in California and transporting it to Nevada to sell on the black market was sent to prison on Tuesday.

Reno resident Erin Sadzak appeared in custody as a result of his arrest in Reno for having a gun with an obliterated serial number.

Sadzak had been on probation for four months before his arrest in Reno on Aug. 13 with two firearms. As a convicted felon, he’s not allowed to possess firearms at all. Sadzak was convicted in Douglas County for possession of a controlled substance after he was arrested with eight pounds of marijuana and 1.25 pounds of concentrated THC in October 2020.

Attorney Paul Quade argued that Sadzak was a bystander in an altercation over a theft in Reno, though he acknowledged his client actually had the two pistols.

Sadzak is facing sentencing in Washoe District Court for being an ex-felon in possession of a firearm. Quade said that under an agreement there, Sadzak will receive time concurrent to the 19-48 months he received in Douglas County.

Sadzak said he spent the last three months in custody examining his life and that nothing he was involved in was worth being away from his family.

• A man, who likely tried to elude deputies because he had around 2 ounces of methamphetamine in his vehicle, admitted to two felonies on Tuesday.

Marvin Dressler, 42, was arrested Sept. 9 after deputies pursued him on the dirt roads south of the Gardnerville Ranchos.

Dressler reviewed body camera footage on Nov. 5 with his attorney before deciding to enter guilty pleas to attempting to elude and mid-level trafficking.

During the pursuit, Dressler rammed a Douglas County Sheriff’s patrol vehicle before a deputy was able to knock Dressler off the road. The deputy wasn’t hurt as a result of the encounter.

Under the plea agreement, Dressler will face sentences of 1-10 years and a $50,000 fine on the trafficking charge and 1-6 years and a $5,000 fine for eluding.

Attorney Kristine Brown sought a reduction in Dressler’s bail to reflect the reduced charges. He was being held on $42,000 bail.

It was lowered to $20,000 bondable.