I would like to explain this case to you. Back in 1989, I was the fire chief in Pahrump. Just prior to this, I had filed a complaint with the Nye County District Attorney about incompetence within Nye County Sheriff's department.

This was about my next door neighbor running over a man and killing him. I went to the scene less than 10 minutes after this happened.

The man, a Mr. Sholtka, was in the middle of the road, stone-cold and stiff, although it was summer in the desert and the pavement was hot.

The deputies on the scene were not even going to get statements from the neighbors until I pushed the issue. It was obvious to me that he had been dumped.

Forward to Oct. 6, 1989. I was on my way home from an animal control meeting and stopped by Ron Miller's to pay him for some plywood. It was election time, and Wes Fleetwood was running for sheriff.

Here come the deputies in the back of a U-Haul van, hup-hup-hup. Honestly, I thought at the time that they had watched one too many Miami Vice shows.

I knew all of them by first names. One of them blew a hole in the ceiling with a 12-gauge. I'm really surprised I'm alive today.

On the way to the sheriff's office, one deputy said to me that I should turn state's evidence. This kind of raised an eyebrow, and I told him, "John, I know nothing."

I found out later on that the confidential informant had never even been in the house, and he was kind of a homeless type who lived in the neighborhood.

I notified both attorneys, Leonard Smith and J. Forest Cahlan. They filed a motion to suppress the evidence, which was accepted by Judge Witaker. I got a copy of this and Wes Fleetwood lied three times.

There is an NRS about submission of false evidence to obtain a search warrant, punishable by prison and a fine.

By the way, this information caused Wes Fleetwood to lose the election.

Thank you for reading this. I hope it will clear up this mess.

PETER WALLACE