Public will pay for judge’s crimes

Steven Jones got away with one last scam. This time, the taxpayers were the patsy. And regardless of whether federal prosecutors and a federal judge try to right the wrongs of the disgraced Family Court judge, Nevadans will pay dearly for his crimes for many, many years.

Jones pleaded guilty in federal court this month to a felony count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, ending a years-long investigation into a multimillion-dollar investment scheme. Jones used his name and his judicial office to help a handful of crooks dupe victims into entering bogus land and water-rights deals as far back as 2002. At least 22 people were scammed out of more than $2.6 million, with Jones collecting some of the cash in the courthouse parking lot.

But the swindling didn’t end there.

For most of the past two years, since his indictment in connection with the case, Jones has enjoyed a paid vacation at taxpayer expense. His refusal to resign and his bogus claims of innocence netted about $350,000 in salary. The Nevada Judicial Discipline Commission had an opportunity to fire the judge for a different set of ethical transgressions, related to his personal life, but instead gave him a three-month suspension without pay.

Jones formally resigned his judgeship and surrendered his law license as part of his plea agreement, cutting him off from the public payroll — for now. But Jones had good reason to stretch out his paychecks as long as possible, a reason far more lucrative than a judicial salary that was due to run out at year’s end anyway, when his term finally expired.

Jones wasn’t just padding his wallet. He was padding his taxpayer-funded pension, as well. In fact, Jones’ stalling might have bought him enough time to start collecting his guaranteed-for-life pension next month.

Public Employees Retirement System records are confidential until benefits are actually paid, thanks to a recent Nevada Supreme Court ruling. As a result, PERS Executive Officer Tina Leiss couldn’t confirm last week whether Jones had officially retired.

But Jones, 56, could be right at the 30 years of service required to begin drawing a full pension immediately, regardless of age. Jones served nearly 22 years on the bench and worked a few years as a Supreme Court clerk and a domestic relations referee. If Jones purchased five years of service credit — another scam in which scores of public employees and elected officials gladly partake — that gets him close to the magic number of 30. That would entitle him to an annual pension benefit worth 75 percent of an average of his three highest-earning consecutive years: about $150,000.

And even if Jones is just short of the 30-year mark, he has collection options. Leiss said he could take a slightly reduced pension if he wants to draw benefits before his 60th birthday, which he should hit shortly after he gets out of federal prison. It depends on whether Jones is in the traditional PERS plan or a separate pension system for judges, which was created well after he was first elected to the bench.

And wouldn’t you know it, Nevada has no law that strips public pensions from elected officials and public employees who engage in on-the-job corruption.

Jones’ fraud victims were just the beginning. The ex-judge gets to rip off the entire state until the day he dies.

A call to Jones’ attorney, Robert Draskovich, was not returned by last week’s deadline for this column.

Jones agreed to pay an undetermined amount of restitution to his victims as part of his plea. I wonder if he used the money he stole from people to purchase service credits from PERS. Federal prosecutors should ask. Then the court should make him pay full restitution through his pension. And Jones should be forced to repay the state the salary he collected during his extended leave.

Are state lawmakers paying attention? Crooks who use government jobs to enrich themselves don’t deserve a cushy retirement at public expense.

Glenn Cook (gcook@reviewjournal.com) is the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s senior editorial writer. Follow him on Twitter: @Glenn_CookNV. Listen to him Mondays at 4 p.m. on “Live and Local with Kevin Wall” on KXNT News Radio, 100.5 FM, 840 AM.