Man arrested for ripping off sheriff’s association

Wednesday, Dec. 31, 1997 | 9:09 a.m.

Howard Mayrson was booked Monday in Reno on six counts of obtaining money under false pretenses, embezzlement and failure to appear on a traffic warrant. His bail was set at $18,355.

Mayrson, 51, of Carson-based Sterling Publications and Productions, allegedly skipped town in April. The association's annual basketball fund-raiser, pitting deputies against Oakland Raiders football players, had to be canceled.

Mayrson is believed to have sold about $80,000 in tickets, at $22.50 apiece. Some of the money was used to pay employees, printing businesses and rent on a building.

"It was not a scam from Day One," said Martin Roberto, an investigator with the Nevada Division of Investigation. "There was an attempt to make it a legitimate charity event."

But when Mayrson saw the money generated by telemarketing wasn't enough to pay for the event, he tried to make up the difference by gambling, Roberto added.

NDI made the arrest, and the Washoe County District Attorney's Office is prosecuting the case.

The association is an employee group of lieutenants and sergeants that works for the members, negotiating salaries with the city for pay raises, uniforms, allowances and benefits. It also has donated money to various Carson City charities.