News briefs for March 25, 2004

Thursday, March 25, 2004 | 10:51 a.m.

Bogus salesmen target seniors

The state Division of Aging is cautioning senior citizens not to be taken in by bogus telephone salesmen who are offering Medicare drug discount cards.

Some seniors have been called by companies offering the discount cards. But the division said the cards won't be approved until May, when advertising will begin from companies authorized by Medicare to issue the card.

"Medicare recipients need to be alert to these calls," Marilyn Wills, director of the state Health Insurance Advisory Program, said. She said those who receive suspicious calls should contact the agency's helpline at (800) 307-4444 or the Medicare Fraud line at (800) 447-8477.

"Medicare has not yet approved any company to sell Medicare-approved cards," Wills said.

The division said Wednesday seniors should not give out their Social Security and bank account numbers over the telephone to those who are representing themselves as approved distributors of the Medicare pharmacy discount card.

15-year sentence given in sex case

A local photographer charged with sexually assaulting a young girl was sentenced to 15 years in prison Wednesday as the result of a plea deal.

District Judge Kathy Hardcastle handed down the sentence to Eric Root, 39, after he pleaded guilty to one count each of use of a minor in producing pornography and attempted lewdness with a minor under the age of 14.

He will be eligible for probation in five years. When he is released from prison, he will have to register as a sex offender.

In exchange for Root's guilty plea, prosecutors dropped multiple counts, including sexual assault with a victim under 14 and child pornography charges.

Root was arrested after the girl told police he had sexually assaulted her and had taken nude photographs of her. Chief Deputy District Attorney Mary Kay Holthus said the victim was 12 years old when she first met Root.

At Root's home, police found nude photographs of other girls who appear to be between the ages of 12 and 16.

In a brief statement to the court on Wednesday, Root denied knowing the girl was a minor. He said she came to his studio to be photographed and the two began a sexual relationship.

"I never intended to make a victim of her," Root said. "I actually did believe she was of age."

Body found in desert was shot

The coroner's office performed an autopsy on the body of a man found about four miles north of the California border on Tuesday and determined that the victim died of a gunshot wound, Metro Police said.

The driver of an all-terrain vehicle discovered the body off Interstate 15 about 5 p.m. Tuesday, police said.

Anyone with information about the case is urged to call Crime Stoppers at 385-5555 or the Homicide Section at 229-3521.

Reward offered in Orleans shooting

The Orleans is offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to the identification, arrest and prosecution of two suspects involved in a robbery and shooting of a man Tuesday in the hotel parking lot.

The victim and a woman were walking through the parking lot at 4500 W. Tropicana Ave. about 12:30 a.m. Tuesday when a car pulled up, a passenger got out and tried to grab the woman's purse purse, police said.

One of the would-be robbers fired a shot at the man and the bullet grazed his head.

Police said the suspects were two men in a small red car with a broken windshield.

Anyone with information about the case can call Crime Stoppers at 385-5555 or Metro's robbery section at 229-3591.

Kenny Young, who has served as North Las Vegas

redevelopment manager and neighborhood services manager in nearly five years with the city, has been named acting director of community development. In that position he will, at least temporarily, be leading the department responsible for economic development, redevelopment and code enforcement. Young will receive a 5 percent raise to bring his annual salary to $104,950, City Manager Gregory Rose said. Young will continue to handle his previous duties as well as his interim responsibilities.