Former carpet firm owner gets time to cover bad checks

Bill Gang

Thursday, June 10, 1999 | 11:50 a.m.

Sol Sayegh has had more than his share of difficulties and tragedy -- from the kidnapping of his 6-year-old son two decades ago to his current $7 million dilemma.

Sayegh pleaded guilty Wednesday to a felony bad check charge over his multimillion dollar gambling debt to three Las Vegas casinos. He faces the possibility of four years in prison, but if he makes good on the bad checks, the charge will be dismissed.

Sayegh told District Judge Sally Loehrer he believes he can gather the money over the next two years, and the judge postponed the sentencing date until that time.

He has been pursued for two years since writing the six bad checks for more than $6 million in May 1997 and was reported to have fled the United States to avoid arrest. Fees and interest bumped up the amount owed to $7.2 million.

It was in 1978 that Sayegh's son, Carey, was kidnapped from the Albert Einstein Hebrew School, 1600 E. Oakey Ave. The saga and the search for the boy, who was never found and is believed to be dead, touched the hearts of most Las Vegans.

Accounts of the kidnapping and pictures of the boy were common stories in newspapers and on television.

Sayegh had owned the Carpet Barn floor covering business, which he began in 1971 but sold it in 1996. He and his wife divorced the following year after the bad checks were written but before charges were filed.

The 54-year-old defendant is free without bail pending the resolution of his case.