Police find filth, drugs, guns in neglect probe

Police found feces on walls, a stash of marijuana and a refrigerator containing nothing but yogurt when they entered the home of Brian Atkinson Turner, son of former Clark County Commissioner Yvonne Atkinson Gates, according to a police report.

The Las Vegas police discovery led to the arrests of Turner and his wife, Kathryn O'Gara, on child endangerment and drug charges Tuesday.

Officers went to the couple's Southern Highlands home after two people reported a black Mercedes sedan moving erratically in the area, the report said.

Witnesses told police the car hit a pole in a gas station parking lot. The witnesses, who were not named in the report, also told police that a woman had left a toddler alone in the car and not buckled into a car seat while she paid for gasoline and visited a McDonald's restaurant.

She eventually returned to her car and drove away, hitting curbs as she headed to the house at 11799 Hugana Place, the report said.

The witnesses followed the Mercedes and directed police to the house. Officers banged on the front door, and no one answered. They eventually found an unlocked back door and went inside to check the child's welfare, the report said.

Inside they found feces on the floors and wall; stained floors covered in garbage, clothes and glass; and a refrigerator with no edible food except yogurt, according to the report.

In the master bedroom, police found a marijuana pipe on the night stand and a loaded .40-caliber handgun under the bed, the report said.

A loaded .45-caliber handgun was found on the car's driver's side floorboard, police said.

The officers discovered 40 grams of marijuana in a closet, drug paraphernalia and equipment used to grow marijuana plants, the report said.

Officers seized about half a dozen sun lamps, seven boxes of empty plant pots, carbon dioxide tanks and other equipment.

Turner, 24, and O'Gara, 25, were arrested on charges including child endangerment and possessing marijuana with intent to sell.

Their 2-year-old daughter was taken to Child Haven by Clark County Child Protective Services.

Attempts to reach the couple Thursday and Friday were unsuccessful. Atkinson Gates declined to comment.

Turner and his wife had been under police scrutiny because of money his mother had paid them from her campaign. During the 2004 election cycle, Atkinson Gates paid the couple and their company, Advibe Advertising, $407,343 from her campaign funds.

In mid-April, authorities confirmed that months earlier, an investigation had been launched into whether Atkinson Gates had received kickbacks from that money.