Man faces prison after diversion revoked

A Carson City man lost his diversion program and freedom when he was found slumped over the steering wheel with two empty cans of compressed air, he’d bought two hours ago in April.

Joel Calvin Walker Jr. agreed Monday that he’d violated Western Nevada Regional Drug Court conditions when he was arrested April 22 in a running vehicle after allegedly huffing the cans.

Walker, 27, was granted diversion after being arrested June 12, 2021, with a .145 blood alcohol content.

He had prior convictions in Texas in 2016 and 2018.

With the revocation, Walker faces a mandatory prison sentence of up to 1-6 years for the felony third DUI.

At the 2021 hearing, Walker said he’d been drinking daily since he was 18 years old.

He is scheduled to appear in East Fork Justice Court on June 22 where it’s anticipated he will waive his preliminary hearing.

After he receives a new district court hearing and undergoes a pre-sentence investigation, attorneys said they would work on a global resolution for the two charges.

A subsequent felony DUI is punishable by 2-15 years in prison.

• A man who denied pushing his elderly grandfather during an altercation in their Gardnerville Ranchos home received a suspended prison sentence on Monday.

Michael Philip Hall, 40, entered a no contest plea to a count of felony elder abuse with substantial bodily harm.

Hall received an underlying sentence of 2-5 years. His probation will last three years, under the order.

“I want you to be busy,” District Judge Tom Gregory said in ordering Hall to maintain full employment. “That will help you stay sober.”

• A woman admitted Monday to passing $1,400 in bad checks at the Topaz Lodge.

Lily Marie Hoyle, 34, was one of several people involved in a scam where checks from a variety of Mono County organizations were passed at the Lodge in January 2020.

She faces 1-4 years in prison and has to pay restitution both to the Lodge and to the $1,150 in extradition costs.

The check-kiting ring cost the Lodge $30,000 and resulted in five people being charged.

The case came to light on Jan. 19, 2020, when deputies responded to a report that someone was passing a large number of bad checks at the south county casino.

Two men, Jonathan Lee Schofield and Henry Jesse Martinez were arrested at the time. Schofield died before his May 2020 sentencing. Martinez, 60, was sentenced to 1-4 years but has since been paroled.

A third man, Josue Abrica Magallon, 26, was sentenced to 12-30 months on a charge of attempted burglary in November 2021 and is still serving his sentence.

George H. Beatty, 47, was sentenced in April to 19-48 months in prison and ordered to pay restitution of $4,252.52 to Topaz Lodge and $2,184.80 to the Douglas County Sheriffs Office to bring him back to face charges.

In 2018, Beatty was convicted of a federal fraud charge for cashing $4,000 in bad checks.

Participants cashed fake payroll checks from the California Department of Transportation, a Mono County church and other victims.

• A man admitted Monday he had methamphetamine and metal knuckles could face up to five years in custody.

Mario Gomez Estrada, 27, was arrested on March 21, 2021, with 9.7 grams of methamphetamine.

Gomez Estrada was released on his own recognizance after he entered a guilty plea to possession of a controlled substance and a dangerous weapon.

The penalty for felony possession is 1-4 years in prison, but in many cases probation is mandatory. The metal knuckles could earn Gomez Estrada up to 364 days in jail.

He was released on his own recognizance on Monday.

A nationwide warrant was issued Monday for man who served a prison sentence for stealing from family after it was determined he still owes $710 in restitution.

Steven Marcello Pacheco, 52, was sentenced to 1-4 years in prison on Oct. 7, 2019, and ordered to pay $1,481 in restitution.

According to Nevada Department of Corrections records, he was paroled two months later. According to Nevada Parole & Probation, he made his last restitution payment May 7, 2021.

A California man admitted to possession of a controlled substance after he was arrested on a warrant for failing to appear.

Casey Michael St. Martin, 51, admitted he had drugs when he was arrested on April 12, 202. The charge is a felony.

He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 25.

A man who said he used methamphetamine on a daily basis was granted a diversion program on Monday.

Seth Edward Kemper, 38, admitted Monday to possession of methamphetamine on April 21.

He’d failed to appear in district court on May 23, saying he had the date confused with a justice court appearance. He also tested positive for methamphetamine while he was awaiting arraignment.

Attorney Martin Hart said Kemper had no prior felonies.

Under diversion to Western Nevada Regional Drug Court, Kemper will undergo a treatment program and regular supervision. If he’s successful, the felony will be dismissed. Possession generally carries mandatory probation.