Brown denies wrongdoing in chemical firm

Andy Holtmann

Thursday, Aug. 21, 1997 | 10:03 a.m.

NORTH LAS VEGAS -- City Councilwoman Paula Brown said she is tired of the negative publicity she and her husband have been receiving.

The Browns have been the subject of a Metro Police investigation in recent weeks after detectives discovered that the federal Drug Enforcement Agency had been working with them, allegedly tracking illegal drug manufacturers. Two chemical companies owned by the Browns, L.K. Supply and J.B. Chemical, became the focus of the probe into whether chemicals used in making methamphetamine were sold unlawfully.

On Tuesday, Metro served search warrants at the Browns' home, businesses and bank accounts. Police will not comment as to exactly what, if anything, was confiscated, but sources say that paperwork and financial records were looked at. Neither of the Browns has been charged with a crime.

"Metro has already searched everything once," Paula Brown said before Wednesday night's City Council meeting. "Our question is, what are they looking for, what else do they want?"

Brown said while she is confident she and her husband have done nothing wrong, she feels as though they have already been made out by the media and certain individuals as an enemy of the people. She said claims made to the media that she and her husband were selling the drug on the streets and selling the chemicals to known drug abusers are false.

"The one thing the public is missing is the truth," she said. "We have already been tried and convicted in the press, and that hurts us."

Paula Brown said they started their business 20 years ago and have never had any problems with law enforcement. Their operations are fully licensed and they make nearly $1.7 million per year, selling chemicals to industries, she said.

Norman Kaye, who ran unsuccessfully against Brown for City Council, has spearheaded a recall campaign. Two weeks ago, Kaye blasted Brown at a council meeting, calling for her resignation. He claims to have supporters helping with his recall efforts.

Brown said she had "absolutely no intentions of resigning" and maintained that she and her husband have done nothing wrong.

North Las Vegas resident Diana Figgis said Kaye does not know what he is talking about and should wait for the facts to be revealed.

"I have severe doubts about where he gets his information from," she said. "I think he should let Metro do its own investigation and not pretend like he is a detective, jury, judge and executioner. If Brown did something wrong, why hasn't she been arrested?"

Another resident, Martin Lang, said he feels the only reason Metro was still conducting an investigation is because they were embarrassed.

"Metro obviously didn't know about the Brown-DEA connection, so they decided to investigate themselves," Lang said. "When they didn't find anything the first time, they did it again, hoping to find something to avoid looking like the bad guys, and brag about the wonderful job they're doing."

Brown said she and her husband have been cooperating fully with authorities. She could not discuss specifics in the case and referred all questions to her lawyer, who could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

Councilwoman Stephanie Smith said she supports Brown and is tired of the negative publicity.

"You are innocent until proven guilty in this country," she said. "Why, if this is such a big issue, are only one or two people calling for her to resign? Why have no charges been filed? The reason, there is no cause due to the fact she has done nothing wrong."