Jury convicts Las Vegas man in April bar robbery, shooting

Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009 | 5:34 p.m.

A Las Vegas man who robbed the Lucky Nickel Saloon in April and shot a patron in the leg was convicted by a federal jury today of robbery and firearm charges.

After a three-day jury trial, 48-year-old Brian Fierro of Las Vegas was convicted of one count each of interfering with commerce by robbery and discharging a gun during a crime of violence, plus two counts of a felon in possession of a firearm, said U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden of Nevada.

About 12:20 a.m. April 8, the saloon, at 2075 Palm Street, was robbed by a masked man carrying a large, silver revolver.

During the robbery, the masked man shot one of the patrons, causing permanent nerve damage to his leg. The bullet went through the man's leg and was recovered from a wall in the bar.

The man took $400 from one of the bar's cash registers, then fled. The robbery was caught on video by the bar's surveillance system, authorities said.

The next day, April 9, someone told a Metro Police detective that a man named Brian Fierro had a revolver that had been used in a bar robbery and he was trying to sell it. The detective told the person to have Fierro contact another Metro detective who worked undercover as a gun buyer and seller.

Five days later, on April 13, Fierro sold a .357 Magnum revolver to that undercover detective, authorities said. The gun matched a bullet recovered from the saloon robbery.

At the time of the gun sale, Fierro was a five-time convicted felon with earlier convictions for robbery and armed robbery, possessing drugs and possessing a stolen vehicle.

Fierro is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roger L. Hunt on Jan. 22. The sentence for firing a gun during a violent crime is at least 10 years in prison, to be served consecutively with any other sentence of imprisonment, and up to a $250,000 fine. Fierro also faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the robbery charge and up to 10 years in prison for each felon in possession of a gun charge.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Metro Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Drew Smith and Lucas M. Foletta prosecuted the case.

Discussion: 2 comments so far…

By bluejean

11/4/09 at 9:24 p.m.

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Our family would like to thank the Jury and the DA's office, we are now able to move forward.
By dodgerchuck

11/4/09 at 9:44 p.m.

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wow,ud think with that rap sheet the guy would already be behind bars doing a long stretch.how is it that he's out on the streets committing mayhem?