Court briefs for Oct. 10, 2002

Thursday, Oct. 10, 2002 | 9:49 a.m.

Pahrump man gets life in prison

A 35-year-old Pahrump man was formally sentenced Wednesday to life in prison with parole possible after 40 years.

David Crawford was convicted in August of first-degree murder in the March 1997 shooting death of Las Vegas resident Gloria Dugan.

Jurors opted to give Crawford a chance at parole instead of a no-parole life sentence, and District Judge Donald Mosley formally imposed that sentence Wednesday.

Crawford's attorneys had argued he shot Dugan in the heat of passion, but jurors found that he intentionally killed the young woman because she wouldn't leave her fiance for him.

Hearing delayed in sex case

A hearing on whether charges should be dismissed against a DEA agent accused of soliciting young boys for sex acts was postponed Wednesday when it was revealed that a plea agreement may be in the works.

Prosecutors allege Steven Kinney, 42, wrote notes to 15 boys, wrapped them around small rocks and dropped them at the feet of boys in stores. Each of the notes reportedly asked the boys if they would submit to a sex act for between $20 and $50.

Most of the boys were between 9 and 14 years old.