News briefs for March 6, 2003

Thursday, March 6, 2003 | 9:31 a.m.

Two indicted in prostitution case

Three people allegedly involved in a prostitution ring with ties to Las Vegas and Portland, Ore., have been indicted by a federal grand jury.

Jonathan Duke Flake, 31, Breanna Nelson, 19, and Mearenet Biadegelegne, 21, are named in the indictment that was filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court. All three are residents of both Las Vegas and Portland, authorities said.

Flake is charged with transportation of women for prostitution, transportation of minors for prostitution, conspiracy to commit money laundering and interstate travel in aid of racketeering. The two women are charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering.

The indictment alleges the group transported women and minors to Las Vegas from Oregon for prostitution in 2001. More than $30,000 was deposited in Las Vegas to a Portland bank account, according to the indictment.

County continues work on adult bill

A discussion of new laws designed to segregate adult-oriented businesses such as strip clubs from residential areas and other businesses could come back to the Clark County Commission next month, almost a year after the idea first surfaced.

The commission on Wednesday extended a ban on new applications for such uses by 30 days.

Commissioner Myrna Williams, who said she wants the law to keep sexually oriented businesses away from homes, was absent from the commission meeting, but the ban extension passed 6-0.

County law now allows sexually oriented businesses in areas zoned for manufacturing, but as the urban area has grown, so has such zoning, and sometimes manufacturing uses have come in near residential neighborhoods. Williams' law would create special zones for the adult uses.

One of the four zones that the law would set up is just outside the North Las Vegas city limits, near the Las Vegas Beltway and Interstate 15. North Las Vegas officials, arguing that the proposal would create a "red light" district on the city's doorstep, have promised to fight the zoning proposal.

Bobbitt loses another battle

John Wayne Bobbitt has lost his second court battle this month.

The Nevada Supreme Court Wednesday dismissed Bobbitt's petition challenging a condition of probation imposed on him by District Judge Archie Blake in Fallon.

Last week Blake revoked Bobbitt's probation and sent him to prison for 12 to 32 months on his guilty plea to attempted grand larceny in connection with theft of more than $140,000 in clothing from a store in Fallon.

Blake had originally placed Bobbitt on probation on the condition he not live with his wife Joanna. Court records show Bobbitt violated that condition by living with his wife while he was on house arrest.

He was convicted last month in Las Vegas of beating up Joanna Bobbitt in May.

Bobbitt told Blake that he and Joanna are not financially able to live separately and they love each other.

City councils OK drought plan

The city councils of Las Vegas, Henderson and North Las Vegas this week approved the Southern Nevada Water Authority's drought plan, which is designed to reduce water use by the area's 1.5 million residents and 35 million visitors.

The plan would restrict residential lawn sprinkling and impose surcharges on golf courses that don't reduce water use.