Jaclyn O'Malley
RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL
9/22/2004
A man scheduled to begin serving a two-month federal prison term next month for stealing ancient American Indian petroglyphs was expected to surrender today to local authorities on unrelated drug and weapons charges, officials said.
John Ligon, 41, of Reno, is accused of possessing 30 firearms — five stolen — several thousand rounds of ammunition, explosives, allegedly constructing a cannon in his garage and possessing a large amount of marijuana (380 grams) and drug paraphernalia, said Sgt. Dave Evans of the regional Street Enforcement Team.
When Ligon surrenders, he is expected to be booked on suspicion of possession of marijuana for sales, ex-felon in possession of a firearm, possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia and five counts of possession of stolen property, Evans said Wednesday. Federal authorities are investigating Ligon for allegedly being a felon in possession of firearms, Evans said.
Ligon’s attorney, Scott Freeman, contends his client is innocent. He said the firearms were about to be transferred out of Ligon’s home by relatives after his June felony conviction. It is illegal for felons to possess firearms.
Freeman denied his client had any knowledge some of the firearms were stolen and said the marijuana did not belong to Ligon.
The allegations stem from a search Friday of Ligon’s home at 2040 Humboldt St. by SET detectives.
Evans described Ligon’s home as a “flop house” with outside surveillance cameras where people came in and out and abused drugs.
“We knocked on (Ligon’s) door, and he denied any illegal activity and told us to come back with a warrant,” Evans said.
Authorities returned with a warrant and during the search of Ligon’s home, authorities collected the firearms and ammunition, small amounts of gunpowder and mining explosives, dead animals (a bobcat, a duck, snakes and a rabbit in the refrigerator) and some American Indian artifacts, Evans said.
Authorities were responding to numerous citizen complaints — forwarded to police by Reno City Council members — reporting that the home was “a nuisance to the neighborhood with narcotics activities and loud parties,” Evans said.
A Reno federal jury in June convicted Ligon and Carroll Mizell, 44, of Van Nuys, Calif., of stealing three large boulders bearing the rock etchings of an archer and bighorn sheep. The theft occurred August 2003 on federal land near the northwest Flanks of Peavine Peak. Freeman, who appealed the conviction on behalf of Ligon, said the government did not prove the boulders’ value exceeded $1,000.
On Sept. 8, Ligon was sentenced to two months in federal prison, court records show. He was freed on his own recognizance and ordered to surrender no later than noon Nov. 10 to the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
Wednesday, Ligon attended a hearing in federal court in Reno, where U.S. officials were trying to revoke his own-recognizance bond.
Natalie Collins, spokeswoman for the Nevada U.S. Attorney’s Office, said Ligon again was allowed freedom on the extra conditions that he be electronically monitored during home detention and that he take drug tests. A $50,000 cash bond was ordered if he does not follow the conditions.
A hearing has been scheduled for Monday to discuss a federal prosecutor’s new motion to show cause why Ligon should be allowed to continue to be free on bond.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Don Gifford wrote in court papers filed this week that Ligon is a serious flight risk. Ligon has not been employed for more than 11 years, has lived off a trust and has a net worth of more than $6 million, Gifford wrote.
Gifford said “there would now be a greater risk of danger” to the public while Ligon “may have further access to stolen firearms and narcotics.”
A week before the search of Ligon’s home, SET searched a nearby home that was the focus of similar complaints. Detectives recovered from 670 Hillcrest Drive a large amount of marijuana, one gun and arrested a suspected drug dealer.
“My hope is that after serving these warrants on these two residences it will send a message that we respond to complaints and will make the illegal activity stop,” Evans said.
Acting Reno police Chief Jim Weston credits SET with cleaning up chronic problems in neighborhoods. “It’s a good feeling to be able to go in and do these kinds of operations because it pleases the people who live in these areas and complaints drop.”
Copyright © 2004 The Reno Gazette-Journal