Search warrant issued after missed meeting

Deputies executed a search warrant late Wednesday afternoon targeting a checking account overseen by longtime Nye County District Attorney Bob Beckett because he failed to meet with a certified public accountant earlier that day.

According to Nye County Sheriff Tony DeMeo, deputies seized a computer tower, checkbook and other records related to the Bad Check fund.

"We developed probable cause and just before 5 (p.m.) we executed the warrant," DeMeo said. "We're proceeding with an investigation to see if there's been any criminal conduct."

DeMeo said there is no evidence Beckett, who is locked in a nasty bid to win a fifth term, has done anything wrong. He said the probable cause consists of the fact Beckett missed an appointment to review the account with Dan McArthur, a Las Vegas CPA and Nye County's longtime independent auditor.

The affidavit simply states the warrant was needed because Beckett missed a meeting to discuss the audit.

Beckett said there's "no way" he would stonewall McArthur, adding that his secretary advised McArthur the meeting would have to be rescheduled. Instead, "(McArthur) ran over to the sheriff's office," said Beckett, who is convinced politics is behind the issue.

"My wife had a severe asthma attack," said Beckett. "She's asthmatic, she's highly allergic, it's allergy season, these things happen."

On Tuesday afternoon the attorney for one of Beckett's staff members held a news conference alleging Ron Kent, Beckett's former chief civil deputy, sexually harassed her.

Kent filed to run against Beckett after Beckett terminated him because of workplace complaints.

Beckett believes the warrant was "an extreme over-reaction" to a missed meeting, and hinted it was payback over the previous day's press conference. He was quick to soften those comments, saying he did not believe DeMeo or Pahrump Justice of the Peace Tina Brisebill, who signed the warrant, were part of a campaign to smear him. He did say, however, that Kent told him "highly placed county officials" were going after him.

Beckett would not speculate to whom Kent was referring.

The warrant alleges the account is not "legitimate" because it is run by Bank of America though Nye County banks with Nevada State Bank. Beckett said Bank of America doesn't charge fees and that's why it was chosen. "Banks are banks," he said. "They all keep records, so what does that mean?"

Beckett also added he started the bad check program 13 years ago. "This is the first time anyone has ever asked to audit that account," he said. "He can look at anything he wants."

Beckett estimated there is roughly $11,000 in the fund, which was in the process of being phased out. He said he didn't administer the fund but acknowledged it was being phased out because the incidents of people writing back checks have dropped dramatically, "thanks in large part to the success of the program over the years."

A woman who answered the phone at McArthur's office said the CPA was out with clients and not available.

Contact Doug McMurdo at dmcmurdo@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-8135.