Williams faces at least 20 years

Kim Smith

Monday, April 2, 2001 | 11:16 a.m.

After hearing from more than a dozen grief-stricken family members and a repentant Jessica Williams, District Judge Mark Gibbons Friday sentenced Williams to 18 to 48 years in prison for the March 2000 deaths of six teenagers.

Because inmates are seldom granted parole on their first visit before the Parole Board, Chief Deputy District Attorney Gary Booker said the 22-year-old will likely have to serve between 20 and 25 years in prison.

Malena Stoltzfus, 15, Rebeccah Glicken, 15, Jennifer Booth, 16, Scott Garner Jr., 14, Anthony Smith, 14, and Alberto Puig, 16, were struck and killed by Williams' van March 19, 2000, as they were picking up trash as punishment for minor crimes.

Williams was alleged to have had both marijuana and Ecstasy in her blood at the time of the crash. Her attorney, John Watkins, argued that she simply fell asleep.

The maximum sentence Williams could have received was 120 years with parole possible after 48 years. The minimum sentence was two years.

The Division of Parole and Probation recommended Williams be sentenced to 16 to 72 years for a range of 32 months to 12 years per child.

"I had hoped for something between 20 and 30 years," Booker said. "I think a human life is worth more than three years."

A Clark County jury convicted Williams in February of six counts of driving under the influence of a prohibited substance in her blood but acquitted her of driving under the influence of a controlled substance.

The jury's verdict indicates the jurors believe Williams had THC -- the active ingredient in marijuana -- in her system, but it did not impair her ability to drive.

Watkins has argued since the beginning of the case that there is no correlation between THC in the blood and bad driving. He contends the law, which went into effect in October 1999, is unconstitutional.

In his appeal, Watkins said, he will ask the Nevada Supreme Court how someone can be found guilty of "driving under the influence" but found not to be impaired.

Most of the parents after the sentencing hearing said that although they had hoped for more prison time they were pleased Williams didn't get anywhere near the minimum sentence.

Williams was also ordered to pay a $12,000 fine and more than $48,000 in restitution.