Third suspect arrested in gun theft from armory

Jen Lawson

Thursday, Dec. 19, 2002 | 9:22 a.m.

Metro Police arrested a third man Wednesday in connection with the theft of guns from an armory at the state office of Parole and Probation.

Xay Khang was taken into custody for possession of a stolen firearm and for being an ex-felon in possession of a firearm.

Two other men, Jonathan Avendaro, 22, and Joshua Moyers, 20, were arrested Dec. 11 on charges of stealing several dozen guns and thousands of rounds of ammunition from the armory.

Metro Firearms Unit Lt. Robert DuVall said detectives got an anonymous tip Tuesday that Khang, who police say is an ex-felon, had a gun stolen from the armory.

Detectives and investigators from the Nevada Department of Investigation executed a search warrant at 7910 Blue Brook Drive, near Buffalo Drive and Twain Avenue, and found a Smith & Wesson .40-caliber semiautomatic handgun that belonged to the Office of Parole and Probation.

DuVall said it's not clear how Khang got the gun.

"We do know that some of the guns scattered," DuVall said. "Whether they sold them, gave them away, or someone stole the guns from them, we don't know yet."

Twenty-two guns and up to 5,000 rounds of ammunition were stolen the weekend of Nov. 29 in the Office of Parole and Probation' small annex building at 215 E. Bonanza Road. A room in the office was being used as a makeshift armory, officials said.

Detectives are still investigating how the intruders gained access to the armory. There were no signs of forced entry, DuVall said.

The two men charged, Avendaro and Moyers, were not under the supervision of the office either on parole or probation, officials said.

However, DuVall said the two had "indirect contact with people who worked for the state."

Avendaro and Moyers are being held in Clark County Detention Center on 14 counts each of grand larceny of firearms and 22 counts each of possession of stolen property.