Pizza robber, minor league pitcher sent to prison

A Carson City man was sent to prison on Monday for his part in the strong-armed robbery of a pizza delivery driver.

Levi Daniel Whitehead, 21, was sentenced by District Judge Todd Russell to 12 to 36 months in prison on a charge of conspiracy to commit robbery.

According to court documents, on May 22 the pizza delivery driver was punched and had four extra-large pizzas stolen after he was ambushed when he went to make a delivery at a vacant home.

Whitehead, a juvenile and two others were arrested. Charges against the juvenile and Whitehead remained, while the charges against the others were dismissed.

The juvenile was sentenced to China Springs Youth Camp for his part in the assault.

Whitehead said Monday that he was homeless and hungry when the robbery took place.

"If I figured we had to assault someone to get the pizza I wouldn't have gotten involved," he said. "They said we were just going to snatch the pizzas and run. No one was supposed to get hit."

In other cases before Judge Russell on Monday:

• Ronald John Vickney, 51, was sentenced to 16 to 72 months in prison on a charge of attempted theft. Vickney had asked for probation, but when Russell saw Vickney's criminal history with 12 misdemeanor convictions, seven felony convictions, three gross misdemeanor convictions, and two prison terms, he declined to honor the request.

• A trial date was continued to early next year for Raul Perez-Sandoval, 23, charged with the attempted murder of a Carson City deputy. Perez-Sandoval allegedly fired a gunshot at the deputy as the officer drove past him on College Parkway on Jan. 20.

• Anthony Joseph Lacerra, 42, was sentenced to 12 to 48 months in prison for felony drunken driving. Lacerra was arrested in March after he drove his motor home into two cars and a power pole, and refused to stop.

In 1988, Lacerra pitched for the now-defunct Reno Silver Sox, which was then a Class A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians organization.

• Contact reporter F.T. Norton at ftnorton@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1213.