Woman in Judge Jones case pleads guilty
One of the five defendants indicted with suspended Family Court Judge Steven Jones in an alleged $3 million investment scheme pleaded guilty in federal court Monday.
Ashlee Martin, 30, pleaded guilty to one felony count of conspiracy to commit money laundering under a pretrial diversion agreement. If she abides by the terms of her release over the next year, the charge will be dismissed.
Her plea agreement calls for her to cooperate with federal prosecutors in the high-profile case.
Martin was indicted by a Las Vegas federal grand jury in October 2012 with Jones, his former brother-in-law Thomas Cecrle and three others.
Jones, 56, who is free on his own recognizance, has been suspended from the bench with pay because of the indictment. He did not run for reelection, and his term expires at the end of the year.
The indictment alleged that between September 2002 and October 2012, the defendants persuaded people to lend them money under the guise of quick repayment with high rates of interest. The defendants indicated they needed the money to secure valuable property and water rights, including land on the Strip.
Jones is accused of using the power of his office to further the decade-long scheme and intervening on Cecrle’s behalf to prevent or delay legal processes against him.
All five remaining defendants are to stand trial Sept. 30 before U.S. District Judge Jennifer Dorsey on conspiracy, fraud and money laundering charges.
According to Martin’s plea agreement, she allowed Cecrle to use two of her bank accounts in the scheme from 2009 to 2012. A total of $1.2 million was deposited into the accounts from victims, and she and Cecrle withdrew money to buy methamphetamine to support their drug habits. Cecrle also used money to fuel his gambling addiction.
At the time, Cecrle and Martin were living together at various hotels and residences in the Las Vegas area, the plea agreement said.
Martin described Cecrle in the agreement as a “storyteller” who “spun tales in a way that made them seem believable.”
If Martin doesn’t abide by the terms of her release, her guilty plea will remain on her record and she could face time in federal prison.
The terms of her release prohibit her from having any contact with the defendants, victims and witnesses in the case. She also must stay away from drugs, seek substance abuse treatment and maintain employment.
Contact Jeff German at jgerman@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-8135. Find him on Twitter: @JGermanRJ.
.
