Lawsuit alleges former Lyon administrator stole from estate

by F.T. Norton

Appeal Staff Writer

The sons of a Wellington man found dead of natural causes in his home in May 2006 have filed a $10 million lawsuit against Lyon County and former public administrator Richard Glover, alleging that the police failed to investigate allegations of theft against Glover, and that Glover helped himself to their father's property.

In the federal suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Las Vegas last May, plaintiffs Richard Mathis, James Mathis and Anthony Mathis allege that when their father, Joe Robinson Mathis, died, then-administrator Richard Glover "ransacked" the Mathis home and took weapons, jewelry and money without proper authority, and with the intent to keep the property for himself, thus violating their civil rights to due process and unlawful search and seizure.

The suit alleges that when the Mathis sons filed a report of theft with the Lyon County Sheriff's Department, then-sheriff Sid Smith prevented officers "from investigating Glover's theft of plaintiffs personal property due to Glover's position as Lyon County's Public Administrator," and that Smith "used his authority as Lyon County sheriff to shield Glover from the consequences of Glover's wrongdoing."

The office of public administrator has been under much scrutiny recently with the arrest Jan. 8 of the county's last administrator Jason McLean.

McLean, 35, is charged with embezzling $16,000 from four of the estates he was appointed to administer.

A hearing Wednesday in Dayton will determine if the full-time state economist is indigent and should be appointed a public defender.

Last week the Lyon County Board of Commissioners vacated McLean's elected seat when he failed to get an additional $100,000 bond.

In the Vegas lawsuit against Glover and the county, the complaint also charges that the county "had knowledge that Glover had repeatedly violated the United States and Nevada constitutions by unlawfully entering (decedents) homes and unreasonably searching and seizing their property," and "Lyon County's decision not to take action to alleviate the problem constituted a conscious choice to continue to do nothing."

Glover denied the allegations in a court filing. He could not be reached for comment.

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