Gorman prospect agrees to plea deal

A football standout from Bishop Gorman High School reached a plea agreement Wednesday that could lead to the dismissal of all felonies he faces in connection with an attack on his former girlfriend.

Justin Chaisson, an 18-year-old senior who was awarded a full scholarship to Oklahoma, appeared in Las Vegas Justice Court and pleaded no contest to two misdemeanors: coercion and battery constituting domestic violence.

Chaisson also agreed to plead no contest to four gross misdemeanors May 6 in Clark County District Court: two counts of false imprisonment, one count of malicious destruction of private property, and one count of conspiracy to commit coercion and/or false imprisonment.

"All parties worked very hard towards a fair resolution of the case," defense attorney Michael Cristalli said.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Susan Benedict, who heads the domestic violence unit, could not be reached for comment.

Cristalli said the plea agreement calls for Chaisson to receive probation. If District Judge Stefany Miley rejects the agreement, the lawyer said, Chaisson would be allowed to return to Justice Court for a preliminary hearing on the original charges.

Under the agreement, Cristalli said, Chaisson also must complete long-term domestic violence counseling and 48 hours of community service.

"As far as we know ... this negotiation will not necessarily preclude him from being able to go to Oklahoma," the lawyer said. Cristalli said he also does not expect the plea to affect Chaisson's scholarship.

Chaisson, whose grandfather once owned Chaisson Motor Cars in Las Vegas, was arrested after a March 17 incident that began at Bishop Gorman.

According to a Las Vegas police report, witnesses reported that Chaisson and his ex-girlfriend exchanged words in the parking lot before Chaisson followed the 17-year-old girl to a coffee shop at 6105 S. Fort Apache Road.

Outside the coffee shop, according to the report, Chaisson grabbed the girl's arm and forced her into the back seat of his sport utility vehicle, a GMC Denali.

The girl told police Chaisson punched her in the ribs and drove her to the desert before pulling her out of the vehicle. She said he then placed a screwdriver to her neck and threatened to kill her.

When two of the girl's friends drove up to the scene, she told police, Chaisson again grabbed her and put her in his vehicle.

One of the friends called 911 while following Chaisson's vehicle. According to the police report, the incident ended after Chaisson drove his ex-girlfriend to a storage facility and told her to exit his vehicle.

Chaisson was charged with four felonies: coercion, coercion with a deadly weapon, assault with a deadly weapon and false imprisonment. He also was charged with one count of false imprisonment, a gross misdemeanor, and three counts of battery constituting domestic violence, all misdemeanors.

Cristalli said his client has not returned to school since the incident but is working toward receiving his high school diploma.

Contact reporter Carri Geer Thevenot at cgeer@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-8135.