Las Vegas man accepts plea deal in cashing of forged checks drawn on DA’s fund

A Las Vegas man accused of cashing fraudulent checks to steal thousands of dollars from the Clark County district attorney’s office has pleaded guilty to a felony count of burglary.

However, it is unlikely Robert Krilich Jr. will see the inside of a prison cell for the crime.

Instead, prosecutors have recommended he enroll in a drug-court rehabilitation program early next year. At the time of his arrest in August, Krilich told a Metropolitan Police Department detective he was a heroin user, according to a police report.

If Krilich fails to meet the requirements of drug court or other terms of probation, he could face up to 10 years in a Nevada prison.

Krilich, 51, is accused of cashing forged checks worth more than $4,000 at a local casino, each bearing the handwritten signature of District Attorney Steve Wolfson.

A Metro arrest report states that Krilich drew the money from the DA’s victim assistance fund. However, the actual check shows that the money was taken from the DA’s “check restitution trust fund,” which is used to compensate victims of bad checks.

Krilich originally faced five counts of burglary, seven counts of forgery, five counts of theft, one count of attempted theft, and one count of possession of a fraudulent document or personal identifying information.

But the Nevada attorney general’s office, which is prosecuting the case because the DA’s office is the victim, dropped all but one of the 19 counts as part of Krilich’s guilty plea agreement.

Krilich entered his plea last month. The agreement stipulates that he pay $5,000 in court fines and close to $6,250 in restitution to the DA’s office.

His sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 7 in Clark County District Court.

Krilich’s arrest report states that a Metro fraud detective apprehended him at the Red Rock Resort on Aug. 23 after he tried to cash a fraudulent for more than $1,000. He previously had cashed five similar checks at the casino and a seventh was found in his possession, according to police.

A county employee discovered the forgery because the cashed checks did not follow the correct numbered sequence for payments from the fund, according to the arrest report.

Krilich told police he got the checks from his heroin dealers. The son of a Chicago-area real estate developer, he has been undergoing inpatient treatment at the Betty Ford Treatment Center since his arrest.

Court records state Krilich will be able to complete his treatment pending his acceptance into drug court.

If Krilich is not sentenced in drug court, he will be allowed to withdraw his guilty plea and proceed to trial on all 19 original counts.

The attorney general’s office declined to comment on the case before sentencing. The DA’s office also declined to comment. Krilich’s attorney, Dominic Gentile, could not be reached.

Contact Michael Scott Davidson at sdavidson@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3861. Follow @davidsonlvrj on Twitter.