Marc Helms, 54, claims that charges filed against him in February, which have since been tossed, are still haunting him and making it difficult for him to find a job.

"It's devastating, just devastating," Helms said. "I'm 54 years old, never had a problem except for some traffic tickets until Nye County."

Helms was arrested and booked on charges of solicitation to kidnap, conspiracy to commit kidnapping, and conspiracy to commit battery last February.

District Attorney Bob Beckett said that the charges were dismissed without prejudice so further investigation into the matter could continue.

Helms' arrest was the result of an unnamed man's allegations.

According to the original press release from the Nye County Sheriff's Office, a man whose identity was withheld (reportedly for his protection) walked into Steven Beaver's office at Sun Valley Homes and told Beaver that Helms had offered him $1,000 to beat Beaver up.

Helms said in an interview that he had been fired from Sun Valley Homes by Beaver.

According to Helms, however, he never offered anyone money to beat Beaver up.

What actually happened, Helms said, is that he and his accuser were at a mutual friend's house when Helms had jokingly said he was surprised that Beaver had not been beat up yet.

The accuser then allegedly began offering to beat Beaver up for Helms, at one point saying he would do it for $300.

"He was desperate for money," Helms said when asked why his accuser was so persistent in offering his services. "I told him to stop calling me and lose my number. He said if I didn't give him the money, he'd tell the sheriff's office I'd paid him to beat (Beaver) up."

The accuser apparently made good on his alleged threats, and Helms found himself being arrested and booked.

During his nine-day stay in jail, however, Helms said he was interviewed by Dep. David Boruchowitz, one of his arresting officers, and that the deputy told Helms he recommended to the district attorney that charges be dropped.

By the time Helms was released, the two felony charges of conspiracy to commit kidnapping and conspiracy to commit battery with substantial bodily harm had been dismissed.

Boruchowitz did not respond to calls made to confirm Helms' statements.

The third gross misdemeanor charge of solicitation to kidnap was dismissed Aug. 27.

But for Helms, the incident is far from over.

He said he has since had difficulty finding a job and is concerned about the charges remaining on his record.

"When employers do a background check, they don't ask what you've been convicted of, they just see charges against you," Helms said. "I'm ready to leave, I can't get a job here."

Helms said he is suing the state and Sun Valley Homes.

When asked why he was not pursuing litigation against his alleged accuser, he responded, "That's going to take money, I don't have the legal fees."