News briefs for Nov. 22, 2002

Friday, Nov. 22, 2002 | 11:05 a.m.

Nursing aide sentenced

A 20-year-old nursing home aide was sentenced Thursday to 60 days in jail for putting clothing in a resident's mouth to quiet the victim.

Chinelo Amaka Smith has been in jail since her arrest Oct. 23. Permitting or allowing an older person to suffer unjustifiable physical pain or mental suffering is a gross misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $2,000.

Smith pleaded guilty before District Judge Dan Papez.

When Smith completes her sentence, she is expected to be deported to Nigeria.

Man sentenced for insurance fraud

A 41-year-old Las Vegas man was sentenced Thursday to a year in Clark County Detention Center after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit insurance fraud.

Daniel Vincent Martinez has paid $5,925 in restitution to Sentry Insurance Company.

The co-defendant, Rhonda Raslich, told the insurance company that her 1996 Ford Ranger pickup truck had been stolen from a Sav-On drugstore parking lot in Las Vegas when it was actually being repaired in Michigan, the attorney general's office said.

Raslich received a $5,000 check from Sentry Insurance. The check was endorsed to Martinez, and he cashed it.

The attorney general's office said Martinez is currently in the High Desert State Prison and has an extensive criminal record. He was most recently jail for an incident in April in which a homicide detective rammed a stolen vehicle Martinez was driving. The office said the actions by the detective ended Martinez's spree of auto thefts and a car jacking.

Raslich originally pleaded guilty but failed to appear for her initial sentencing. She was subesquently arrested and was sentenced on Thursday but given credit for time served in the Clark County Detention Center, Attorney General Frankie Sue Del Papa said.

Goodman online for questions

Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman will be online and answering citizens' questions from 11 a.m. to noon Tuesday.

The mayor will be available during that time through the city's Internet site (www.ci.las-vegas.nv.us).