Two plead guilty in plot to attack dog

Erica D. Johnson

Tuesday, March 9, 2004 | 9:31 a.m.

The two men who allegedly plotted to kill a Rottweiler in a Summerlin neighborhood agreed to plead guilty to lesser charges as part of a plea deal.

Ryan Schiestel, 25, and Melvin Gilchrest, 26, said Monday they would enter guilty pleas moments before their preliminary hearing was expected to begin in Las Vegas Justice Court.

Shiestel pleaded guilty to a single count of attempting to kill an animal of another person. Gilchrist pleaded guilty to a single felony count of resisting a public officer with use of a deadly weapon.

Both men waived their right to a preliminary hearing and will be arraigned on the charges on March 22.

Authorities say Schiestel hired Gilchrist to kill or at least harm the Rottweiler, which had killed an Italian greyhound in the same neighborhood the day before. Gilchrist's payment for the hit was to be an airline ticket to New York, where he is from, police said.

"Both men admitted that Schiestel hired Gilchrist to go into the yard and harm the animal," Chief Deputy District Attorney Brian Rutledge said.

Authorities aren't sure what led Schiestel to arrange the hit on the dog. Schiestel denied knowing the family who owns the greyhound and the family denied knowing Schiestel, Rutledge said.

"He said the story (of the greyhound getting killed) just upset him," Rutledge said. "It's very strange.

Shiestel's charge of attempt to kill an animal of another person can be treated as a felony or a misdemeanor and carries a punishment of one to four years in prison. Shiestel will also be eligible for probation.

Gilchrist's charge of resisting a public officer carries a sentence of one to four years in prison.

Both men allegedly confessed to their roles in the crime. Police said Shiestel told them he hired Gilchrist, whom he met earlier that day, to go to the house in the 1800 block of Glen View Drive in Summerlin to harm the dog.

Gilchrist corroborated Schiestel's story, telling police that Schiestel offered to buy him an airplane ticket if he would go with him to a house and "beat up" a dog.

The plan apparently hit a snag, however, when police apprehended Gilchrist in the back yard of the home. A police officer shot Gilchrist in the thigh when he allegedly charged at the officer with a baseball bat and a butcher knife. Gilchrist has since recovered.

"He (Gilchrist) caused a very dangerous situation, where someone could have been hurt or killed" Rutledge said.

"It was his (Schiestel's) idea," he said. "Without him, there would have been no crime that evening."