Former CSN Official Found Guilty of Theft	«« back
	by T. ROPELATO Managing Editor	October 2010

Former Vice President of Facilities Management, William “Bob” Gilbert, has been found guilty on 11 counts, involving theft of equipment and materials purchased by the College of Southern Nevada.

A series of reports by the Las Vegas Sun prompted an investigation by the Nevada District Attorney’s Office. Gilbert, along with three other college employees (George Casal, Matthew Goins and Thad Skinner) were indicted on charges of theft of materials and equipment, allegedly used to build Gilbert’s million-dollar home on the foothills of Mount Charleston.

Co-defendants, Casal, Goins and Skinner, plead guilty to lesser charges of conspiracy to commit theft, and each received light probation sentences. George Casal is the only one still employed by CSN, as a Construction Project Coordinator. Gilbert denied a plea bargain, and with the guilty verdict, now faces a maximum sentence of 11 to 65 years in prison.

Gilbert claimed that he was only storing the equipment, and often used his own shop for repairs on school equipment. Two former CSN presidents, Richard Carpenter and Ron Remington, backed up his claims. Remington was the only witness to testify for the defense and said Gilbert had permission to store, but not use, the college’s equipment.

The equipment in question includes a man-lift, chain hoist, and paint sprayer, which were painted, in what appeared to be an attempt to hide the school markings. Materials purchased from a Home Depot on a CSN account were also traced to Gilbert’s property. The alleged stolen materials include, lumber, door handles and locks, cinderblock and mortar. The charges also included unauthorized use of a forklift and scissor lift rented by CSN, and using college employees for work on his private residence, while “on the clock” at CSN.

After the initial Sun stories, an investigation was conducted by the CSN police department. Police Chief Sandy Seda sent his Deputy Chief, Daniel Bennett, to investigate Gilbert’s property. Bennett claimed in an incident report that he saw “no indication of any property belonging to (CSN).”

When District Attorney Investigators searched Gilbert’s ranch two months later, they found equipment with CSN markings, and matched those items to the school’s inventory. Judge Mosley condemned the CSN Police report as “a rather self-serving investigation ... They did an awfully slipshod job.” Seda and Bennett have since resigned from CSN.

Introductory charges of “misconduct of a public officer” were dropped, after District Judge Donald Mosley determined that in Nevada, an associate vice president of the college is not considered a public official.

Gilbert was hired by CSN in December of 1997, and at the time of his indictment was drawing a $147,204 yearly salary. Gilbert was granted paid leave, and received his full salary for over a year while the investigation was ongoing. Meanwhile, CSN hired architect Sherri Payne, as the “Acting” Associate V.P. of Facilities Management, paying her a salary of $131,254 a year. Gilbert has been removed from paid leave, and Payne is now officially his replacement.

Unknown to CSN at the time of his hiring, Gilbert had a previous felony conviction. In 1991, Gilbert plead guilty to embezzlement from the Chemehuevi Indian Tribe, of Lake Havasu California. Gilbert was ordered to pay restitution of $18,705 and sentenced to three months prison and three years of probation. CSN apparently didn’t start asking potential employees about criminal convictions until 2001.

Sentencing is scheduled for January 3rd. Gilbert will remain free until then. Defense Attorney John Momot told The Las Vegas Review Journal that he will seek an appeal on the verdict and said, “That’s where Mr. Gilbert will be vindicated.”

Chief Deputy Attorney General, Conrad Hafen, has stated he will seek the maximum sentence for Gilbert because of his prior convictions. Hafen said , “Even though he may have done his job well at the college, what he was really doing behind the scenes was stealing from the college, unbeknownst to anybody, to benefit himself.”

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