Local briefs

An ex-con was sentenced to up to five years in prison on Monday following his arrest in a police sting.

David Michael Parren, 28, pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance for sale and was given 14 to 60 months in prison by Carson City District Court Judge Todd Russell.

Parren was arrested Jan. 25 on suspicion of felony trafficking in methamphetamine.

According to the arrest report, he was lured by the Sheriff's Department's Special Enforcement Team to the 1700 block of North Carson Street with the expectation of selling methamphetamine. Officers found 30.5 grams of methamphetamine on Parren.

Parren is a felon for robbery.

Also before Russell on Monday:

• Cesar Armando Alvarado, 28, was given up to three years probation in lieu of 12 to 32 months in prison on a charge of uttering a forged instrument.

• Charles Vidal Rodriguez, 30, pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance. He will be sentenced April 23.

DUI checkpoint set for Friday in East Carson City

The Carson City Sheriff's Department and the Nevada Highway Patrol will be joining forces to conduct a DUI checkpoint on Saturday on Highway 50 East at Arrowhead Drive in Carson City.

Every motorist traveling from Lyon County into Carson City between 5 and 11 p.m. will be subjected to the checkpoint.

Trooper Chuck Allen said all vehicles traveling west on Highway 50 will be stopped and the drivers will be checked to make sure they have a valid driver's license and they are not under the influence of alcohol. Any drivers who display signs of alcohol or drug use will be directed to the secondary screening area, where field sobriety tests will be administered, he said.

"Fifty percent of all fatal crashes in Nevada in 2003 had an alcohol involvement," said Allen in a news release. "Alcohol related crashed are still one of our nation's leading causes of death of Americas youth."

He said it's been determined that high visibility of traffic enforcement is one of the best ways to fight drunken driving, as is the announcement of the checkpoint.

"Our goal is to stop DUI drivers," he said.

Overtime for this checkpoint is paid for by the Department of Public Safety, Office of Traffic Safety.

Robinson retiring from Gibbons staff

Gov. Jim Gibbons is losing his deputy chief of staff and legislative director.

Steve Robinson said he will leave government service at the end of April to pursue an opportunity in the private sector. He was the only staff member from former Gov. Kenny Guinn's administration who stayed on with the governor's office.

General Counsel Josh Hicks will become legislative liaison and Tray Abney will be promoted to legislative director.

"Steve Robinson has played a crucial role in getting us started, and my staff and I are immensely grateful," Gibbons said.

Robinson has an extensive background in natural resources and rural issues, and has served on both state and federal levels of government. He began his service with the state as director of Nevada's Department of Energy under Gov. Robert List in the 1960s.

He did not disclose the nature of the business venture he is pursuing.

Hicks was a senior deputy attorney general representing the Secretary of State, the Nevada Tax Commission and the Nevada Department of Taxation before joining Gibbons' staff.

Abney is now program coordinator for Nevada's Department of Business and Industry. He formerly worked in Gibbons' Washington office as legislative director.

- Staff reports