Board of Education member, husband arrested

Cathy Scott and Teresa Hinds

Thursday, July 24, 1997 | 10 a.m.

A member of the state Board of Education and her husband, a former Las Vegas City Council candidate, have been arrested in connection with a stolen property ring, Metro Police said.

Islena Giron, 43, Harold Giron, 48, and Guillermina Ruiz, 25, were arrested Tuesday and charged with felony attempted possession of stolen property after a month-long investigation into the Girons' business, the Giron Drop-Inn Center at 302 N. Maryland Parkway.

The Girons were released Wednesday from the Clark County Detention Center on their own recognizance.

Patrol officers with Metro's downtown bike unit conducted the sting operation, surveillance and made the arrests, said spokesman Phil Roland. The Girons and their employee, Ruiz, were arrested after a search warrant was served at the business in the Giron Plaza strip mall.

"There was a lot of street drug trade going on in that area," Roland said. "We found out this business was dealing with stolen property -- toothpaste, mouthwash, stereos, you name it." Individuals would allegedly sell their property to the Girons, then walk across the street and buy drugs with the money, Roland said.

Harold Giron ran unsuccessfully in 1991, 1993 and 1995 for the Ward 3 council seat.

Islena Giron, a member of the Board of Education, would be automatically removed from her state seat and banned from ever holding public office again if she is convicted of the felony she is charged with, according to state law.

Deputy District Attorney Don Haight said Islena Giron could face up to five years in prison if convicted.

If the plea is bargained down to a misdemeanor and Giron is convicted, or if it's determined the property Giron allegedly tried to buy from undercover cops was worth less than $250 -- that would automatically drop the charge to a misdemeanor -- it's unclear what her status would be with the state board.

Haight said if Giron is convicted of a misdemeanor, a charge of malfeasance in office would have to be filed in order to remove her from the state board, which he said would be difficult to make stick.

"Usually a charge of malfeasance is related to the office itself, so I don't know if you can actually get a malfeasance charge," Haight said.

Education Board President Dave Sheffield said he was "shocked" to learn of Giron's arrest.

"We just hope it's not true," Sheffield said. "I believe in the American justice system. I'm not going to paint anybody guilty or otherwise. I believe you're innocent until proven guilty.

"We'll just let it take it's course. If we have to do something with Islena, we will."

Sheffield said Wednesday he was more concerned with getting through the agenda of the two-day state Board of Education meeting today than with finding out what action the state board could take against Giron if she is found guilty.

"Those are more important to me at this moment in time and I have nine other board members that I have to prepare for," he said.

The Girons were not caught buying stolen property from children or teenagers, said Metro spokesman Phil Roland, although he noted that "children were apparently present at the time, but not directly involved."

Meanwhile, a business associate of Giron's, Manuel Eduardo Ona, 48, was found murdered Wednesday morning after he was tied up, wrapped in a sheet and kidnapped three hours earlier.

Police are investigating whether the murder could be related to the Giron case.

Ona's body was found near Durango Drive and Warm Springs Road, dumped in a sewer. Lt. Larry Spinosa, who heads Metro's robbery unit, said Ona "purported to be a doctor for several years now," practicing internal medicine without a license.

The coroner's office listed Ona's occupation as a clerk. Police have no suspects.