Response to letter

In response to the letter to the editor titled "Our rights in jeopardy," in the PVT:

Mr. Jones, you do not have informed knowledge of the case or our investigation, you are not in a position to make an informed comment. You also apparently do not have an informed knowledge of law enforcement and our ability to arrest when probable cause presents itself to arrest. In addition, no one's rights were violated.

Apparently, you also are not aware that this office does not report to the D.A.'s office to request permission to arrest, or the Attorney General's office, the F.B.I. or any other office that you may mention.

When we have the evidence that a crime was committed, and probable cause exists, we make the arrest.

Also, let me point out the fact that the D.A.'s office is the legal counsel for all elected officials including this office and it would have been a conflict of interest for the D.A.'s to be involved in our investigation since they represent the suspect and the arresting agency.

Plain and simple, our witness passed a CVSA and had corroborating statements with other witnesses; the suspect refused to come in and give an interview.

Since I have been sheriff, we have done our best to keep the community safe, and investigated violation of laws and made arrests when appropriate.

At times, it resulted in members of this office being arrested, members of my family found in violation of law and either cited and/or arrested.

Apparently you believe that certain individuals who are found in violation of the law should get a free pass; you are welcome to publicly name those you want to be given immunity.

I will name mine here: "none."

ANTHONY L. DEMEO

Nye County Sheriff

Not paranoid enough

When it comes to the issue of Mr. Liakopoulos, Ms. Murray and Sheriff DeMeo, we need to put down your Coors Light or whatever else you're drinking and smoking and think about the facts.

First and foremost, Mr. Liakopoulos was charged with a crime following the sheriff's office acting in its capacity to follow up on a signed complaint. Due process has started.

In our country, it is common place for politicians, attorneys and D.A.s to make deals. Now whether this deal was legal should be determined by the courts or possibly the ethics commission, not by people who, by their own admission are using this "political hot potato" to further their own agendas.

Example: Would the recall petition have made its required signatures without these charges? I think not.

And that's trial by the media.

It has been mentioned in the past that Mr. Liakopoulos should have been charged with some kind of physical assault on a Nye County resident during a commission meeting. It must be obvious that the sheriff's office did not believe there was sufficient evidence to support that charge. Mr. Liakopoulos has answered various ethics complaints and been found innocent.

I am not defending him, I am just stating that people who are using the system for their own agendas are not to be taken at face value.

One last note: If this job as museum curator, that is so badly wanted by Mrs. Liakopoulos, is a county or town "paid" position, it should be advertised in the usual manner. Please think it through. Cheers.

MURRAY M. LOOMIS

Connect the dots

This is in reply to the letter from Danielle Ditinto that was printed in the Jan. 2 edition of your newspaper.

First, Ms. Ditinto is absolutely correct in that both the PVFRS and the NCSO lobbied for additional funding for additional staffing and updated equipment. This funding is needed to meet the needs of a growing population.

The Nye County Sheriff's Office has not seen an increase in staffing in several years, yet developers are allowed to build unfettered.

This tax bill did pass in the state legislature, and passed in the district that Commissioner Liakopoulos represents, yet he clearly ignored the voices of his constituents and voted against the measure.

This measure was to fund better services for the citizens of Nye County, not for the betterment of the Nye County Sheriff's Office per se.

As to the release of information to the media, inquiries from reporters came flooding in prior to a release ever being made by this office and they were provided the information they were legally entitled to.

As to the breadth of the release, this story quickly spread outside the local community and those inquiries were handled in the same manner. Had the sheriff's office failed to release the information, I'm certain that someone else on the opposite side of Ms. Ditinto's political coin would have written a similar letter screaming about a cover-up.

Ms. Ditinto uses the analogy of "connecting the dots." Although I'm unclear as to her meaning I will use this same analogy to explain the process of a criminal investigation.

Unfortunately, due to it being an ongoing criminal prosecution I cannot comment on specifics, but let's see if I can make this work.

The investigating officer starts with a single dot and works to find and connect other dots until they either connect or don't.

If they don't, then more than likely a crime hasn't occurred and the matter usually concludes without further action. In this instance the dots connected, forming a conclusion called "probable cause." In this case probable cause was established by the investigator, and an arrest was made in accordance with the law. In short, an allegation was made against Commissioner Liakopoulos and was expeditiously investigated, as we always try to do. The evidence established probable cause and the investigator made an arrest. Had this not been done, again, someone would have been screaming "cover-up."

I've never been involved in any recall movement and am not involved in the one against Commissioner Liakopoulos. I believe in the democratic process, and the judicial process, and choose to allow them both to take their course.

Thank you.

WILLIAM BECHT

Captain, NCSO

Hope you are treated likewise

To the person or persons who on Jan. 3 took it upon themselves to strap two helpless dogs together by the neck with about 12 inches between them, and then strap them to the post of the for sale sign on the corner of East and First Streets so that they could wrap themselves around the post and start choking each other, with no food or water and in the cold; as to where Animal Control had to take a knife and cut them free of the post before she could separate them.

These are helpless animals who feel the same things that we humans feel: pain, hunger and fear.

I myself have pets, two birds and a dog, and I would never consider hurting them in any way. There are laws against animal cruelty, and your actions against these defenseless animals was despicable in the most heinous way.

I only hope that one day you get treated the same way as your treated your dogs, but with one difference, no one shows up to help you.

CHRISTINE MARSH

Animal lover

Let's not second guess NCSO

A con man's success comes when people accept the con as truth.

It's sad that some people in Pahrump are still being conned by Peter G. Liaka -- A.K.A. Peter G. Liakopoulos -- A.K.A. Peter G. Liakopoulos Jr.

The recall was started before the Fall Festival and was to last 90 days. It was never failing from the start.

Citizens of the fifth district were calling to sign the petition. The arrest came about 80 days after the recall had started.

If you check the dates when people signed the recall, there was already enough signatures. As far as the arrest goes, too bad it took this long for someone to stand up to him.

The recall did get a push when Liakopoulos tried to steal the Veterans' Memorial from the vets who worked so hard to build it. There never was a museum that he says he paid for. He did receive donations to his bogus nonprofit organization, that he doesn't seem to have receipts for, the donations or expenditures.

When campaigning, Liakopoulos in a TV debate said if the people pass the tax, he would support it as long as the money went to the general fund.

Let's not second guess the sheriff's office on doing a full investigation.

ERLENE HEARD

Thanks for saving my life

It's been well over 18 months since the terrible head-on accident on Highway 160 near Blosser Ranch Road at the north end of the valley, but I would like to thank everyone who helped me last June 6.

My family and I are very grateful to the individual who made the call and reported my initial condition so professionally; to the other drivers who called and assisted; to the Nevada state troopers; Nye County sheriff's deputies and fire-rescue crews on scene who got me out and stabilized me for transport; and to the emergency medical staff at the then newly opened Desert View Regional Medial Center.

Everyone was professional, courteous and caring, and certainly did their very best. I'm here today because of their efforts and superb teamwork.

They have our full support and gratitude, and we all look forward to the day when the rest of Highway 160 is widened and improved so no more such accidents occur.

THE WEST FAMILY

I owe you everything

To my dear sister-in-law, Loida Schultz, I owe you everything, yet I have nothing to give you. All the flowers in the flower shops couldn't be enough for what you did for me.

We come from two different countries and raised our children differently and we've had differences in the past.

We've had so many good times and memories also.

I would have dragged everything out of the house until the smoke or fire consumed me if it wasn't for you.

I was so mad at you dragging me out as I was trying to get more personal belongings out, I would have kept going 'til everything was out of the house. Only you saw the fire and danger; I saw my belongings needed to get out.

I owe you every gratitude. Thank you in my heart. Thank you from the bottom of my heart and you will always be someone special to me.

You are my hero and I love you.

KIM MURPHY