IN BRIEF

MACKEY ELEMENTARY INCIDENT

Two women indicted in nabbing of student

Two women accused of kidnapping a 6-year-old elementary school student in what was alleged to be a stunt were indicted by a grand jury this week on first-degree kidnapping and conspiracy to commit kidnapping charges.

A Clark County grand jury indicted Laurinda Drake and Elaine Clermont of kidnapping a first-grader walking to Mackey Elementary School on Sept. 8.

Drake also is facing one count of luring a child or mentally ill person.

Authorities said Drake and Clermont took the child to show how unsafe schools are.

Both Drake and Clermont have an extensive history of complaints against Mackey. Drake has a son who attends the school and Clermont is her roommate.

NEW MEXICO ARREST

Suspect wanted in '07 slaying is in custody

A suspect wanted in a 2007 slaying of a valley man who was beaten over the head with a toilet seat was arrested this week in New Mexico on unrelated charges, Las Vegas police said.

Police said 18-year-old Marvin Wallace was arrested Tuesday in Albuquerque, N.M. Police said Wallace will be extradited to Las Vegas in the slaying of 49-year-old Gerald Comstock who was found dead in an abandoned apartment on Oct. 13, 2007.

Wallace could face charges of murder with a deadly weapon, robbery with a weapon and burglary with a weapon.

Comstock's body was found by police at an apartment on South Decatur Boulevard near Sahara Avenue.

Homicide Lt. Lew Roberts said the motive for the slaying was drug-related.

Police said if Wallace refuses extradition, it could be several months before he is returned to Southern Nevada.

FIRE SCIENCE SCHOOL

Elko offers some room tax excess to academy

The Elko City Council is offering some room tax collections to help the struggling University of Nevada, Reno's Fire Science Academy.

Council members unanimously approved a municipal code amendment to designate a portion of the Elko Convention and Visitors Authority's room tax overage to go to the school for the next three years.

Don Newman, authority executive director, estimated the agency's excess collections for 2008-09 at $127,000, which would leave about $31,000 for the academy. Even with a 7 percent downturn in room tax revenue, officials said the amount would still be at least $25,000.

Nevada regents are expected to consider the academy's fate when they meet Dec. 5 in Las Vegas.

RENO DEPARTMENT

Officer acquitted in sex case sues over job

A former Reno police sergeant acquitted of charges that he coerced a 17-year-old girl into undressing to get out of a traffic ticket has filed a federal lawsuit over his firing.

Paul Pitsnogle claims the investigation into the case was faulty and unprofessional.

"The investigation into this case was mishandled from the start," Pitsnogle's lawyer, Robert Hager, told the Reno Gazette-Journal.

Deputy City Attorney Jack Campbell said although Pitsnogle was acquitted on the criminal charges, he was fired for violating several general orders, and his peer group recommended that he be terminated.

In Pitsnogle's lawsuit, filed last week in U.S. District Court, he said the detectives who interviewed him initially did not record the discussions and failed to test the girl for drugs, even though they learned she had smoked marijuana within the past 12 hours.