Court briefs for January 18, 2001

Thursday, Jan. 18, 2001 | 11:11 a.m.

Trial set in ex-wife's shooting

A July trial date has been set for a Las Vegas attorney accused of shooting his former wife to death shortly before Christmas.

District Judge Mark Gibbons set the July 9 trial date after Alfred Centofanti III pleaded not guilty during his arraignment Wednesday.

Centofanti is accused of shooting Virginia Centofanti between five and seven times on Dec. 20, the same day he picked up the guns that had been seized by Metro Police during an earlier domestic dispute with his former wife.

LV man draws 3-year sentence

A Las Vegas resident was sentenced to almost three years in prison and ordered to pay about $360,000 in restitution Wednesday in connection with a credit card scam.

According to court documents, Nawaf Alsharif ordered almost $80,000 worth of computers and computer components using an American Express card under a different name between October and December 1999, but didn't pay for the items.

Alsharif also allegedly received more than $32,000 out of two bank accounts while knowing the money wasn't available, court documents say. In addition, he reportedly burglarized three Strip hotel-casinos multiple times.

On Wednesday District Judge Kathy Hardcastle sentenced Alsharif as the result of an agreement in which he pleaded guilty to one count of theft.

Alsharif will have to spend at least one year in prison before becoming eligible for parole.

Killer sentenced to 20-year term

A Las Vegas man convicted of voluntary manslaughter in September was sentenced to 20 years in prison Wednesday.

William "Chris" Shoels, 27, was originally convicted of first-degree murder in the Aug. 25, death of Gregory Hayes, but the Nevada Supreme Court ordered a new trial last year.

Shoels was convicted of voluntary manslaughter during the second trial.

Prosecutors alleged Shoels shot Hayes after the two argued about a pass during a basketball game. His defense attorneys argued Hayes was shot in self-defense.

Shoels will have to serve at least eight years before becoming eligible for parole.