Ex-prosecutor accused of helping murderer defraud grandmother

A former North Las Vegas prosecutor and FBI special agent has been charged in connection with what authorities described as a scheme to defraud a murderer's mentally incompetent grandmother out of her million-dollar California home.

Kenneth Long and convicted killer Ron Mortensen, a former Las Vegas police officer, were charged with conspiracy to commit exploitation of elderly or vulnerable person, attempted exploitation of elderly or vulnerable person and forgery.

Mortensen was sentenced to life in prison after he was convicted of first-degree murder for the drive-by shooting of a 21-year-old man a decade ago.

Las Vegas police allege Long helped Mortensen in his ploy to obtain the 89-year-old woman's $1.3 million home near San Luis Obispo, Calif.

Court documents said Long made four visits in the fall of 2005 to Mortensen's grandmother, Doris Cossovel, who lives in a Las Vegas assisted-living complex.

He secured her signature on a quit claim deed as a "gift to grandson" and transferred title of the San Luis Obispo house to Mortensen.

Long told police he made multiple visits to ensure that Mortensen's grandmother was competent.

Long told police that he made the visits on Mortensen's behalf but was not representing the inmate as his attorney.

The documents said Mortensen gave the home to a convicted sex offender, who in turn used it to obtain a six-figure home improvement loan.