Man gets jail in lewdness case

A 77-year-old man accused of molesting two children was sentenced to nine months in jail on Tuesday.

Fred Ayres denied his guilt prior to sentencing by Carson City District Judge Bill Maddox.

"At no time did I ever harm those kids," Ayres said loudly. "At no time did I ever threaten to kill their parents or anyone."

Between September 2002 and October 2003, according to a criminal complaint filed by the District Attorney's Office, Ayres sexually assaulted a 7-year-old and an 8-year-old in his laundry room, bedroom and shed.

In exchange for a plea to the lewdness charge on Jan. 10, three counts of sexual assault were dismissed.

Maddox denied the request of Defense Attorney Ben Walker for probation.

"I don't give probation for this kind of conduct," he said. "In a civilized society we can't let adults have sex with children. Anybody who does do it and comes before me will go to jail."

In other cases before Maddox on Tuesday:

• Paula Edna Fuller, 48, was sentenced to 18 months probation in lieu of 90 days in jail on a charge of conspiracy to utter a forged instrument. According to defense attorney Michael Novi, Fuller was contacted through her e-mail to cash checks for an alleged company in another country, and she complied.

"I know I should have known there was something wrong with those checks," she said.

• David Lucero Jim, 27, was sentenced to 12 to 36 months in prison and a fine of $2,000, on a charge of third-offense drunken driving. He received credit for 68 days time served.

"You really have to be nearly terminally stupid to get a third DUI," Maddox said.

• William James Ledford, 37, pleaded guilty to gross misdemeanor conspiracy to commit grand larceny of a motor vehicle. He will be sentenced May 9.

• Barbara Joyce Mucha, 64, was reinstated to probation with added conditions she serve 200 hours of community service and attend out-patient drug counseling. Mucha's original charge was possession of a controlled substance, for which she received probation. She was re-arrested after testing positive for methamphetamine on March 10.

• Michael Joe Thompson, 44, pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance, but denied he possessed the 2.4 grams of methamphetamine a deputy said he saw Thompson throw on the ground in a cigarette pack. Thompson said he was taking the plea because the prosecutor was willing to drop a charge of failure to appear, when Thompson didn't show up in court for a status check. He claimed he wasn't informed by his attorney when to appear in court, but conceded the proof that he wasn't there was all that was needed to convict him.

• Jamie Allen Wise, 20, pleaded guilty to assault with a deadly weapon when he drove at two deputies in a Russell Way apartment parking lot on Jan. 21. Wise also pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance for 42 grams of methamphetamine. He faces two to 10 years in prison when sentenced.

• Contact reporter F.T. Norton at ftnorton@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1213.