Las Vegas news briefs for June 29, 1999

Tuesday, June 29, 1999 | 11:14 a.m.

Youth coach waives hearing

As seven victims sat outside a courtroom ready to testify about sexual misconduct by their former youth baseball coach, the defendant waived his preliminary hearing on the 39 criminal charges.

Monday's Justice Court hearing was to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to hold Garen Pearson, 40, for trial on the felony and gross misdemeanor counts that included sexual assault and lewdness with minors.

Now Pearson will be arraigned July 6 in District Judge Michael Douglas' courtroom.

Pearson has been in the Clark County Detention Center since his arrest April 29 after four boys accused him of molestation. Additional victims were uncovered after stories of the arrest surfaced in the media.

Pearson originally was charged with more than 80 counts, but prosecutors pared that to 39 for the court case.

Boot camp loses three prisoners

Three inmates at the Indian Springs boot camp escaped early Monday morning.

About 1:30 a.m. Haley Stockdale, Frederick Green and Antonio Gay walked away from the camp, Nevada Department of Prisons officials report.

Stockdale, 19, was serving a six-month sentence for a controlled-substance violation. He is black, 147 pounds, 5 feet 9 inches tall and has the word "Mary" tattooed on his right arm, prison officials said.

Green, 20, was serving six months for possession of a stolen vehicle. He is black, 160 pounds and 5 feet 6 inches tall.

Gay, 19, was serving a six-month sentence for a controlled-substance violation. He is black, 158 pounds, 5 feet 8 inches tall and has the phrase "trust no bitch" tattooed on his right arm.

FBI seeks help finding suspect

The FBI is asking for the public's help in finding a man wanted in an alleged $2 million bank fraud scheme.

A federal arrest warrant has been issued for Jeffrey Lawson, whom the FBI says frequents Las Vegas casinos and strip clubs. In the past Lawson has impersonated an attorney and has asked women to cash checks for him, promising them a percentage of the money for their help, the FBI said.

The FBI said Lawson uses many aliases, including Michael Andrews, Steve Wilson, Fernando Giron and William Watkiss. Anyone with information about Lawson's whereabouts can call the FBI at 385-1281.

For the record

A car fire that killed a California man Friday has been ruled accidental by the Las Vegas Fire Department. Donald Mihalik, 40, of Diamond Bar was the passenger in a 1992 Cadillac that caught fire after being driven on its rim for several miles, according to the fire department.