Amy Lisenbe/Nevada Appeal Jason McLean, right, listens to the terms of his wavier to a preliminary hearing Thursday afternoon in Dayton Valley Justice Court as his defense attorney, Ken Ward, takes notes.
A sentencing date of Aug. 5 is set for the former Lyon County Public Administrator who pleaded guilty Monday to taking money from at least one of the estates he was assigned to administer.
Jason McLean entered a guilty plea to a felony charge of embezzlement related to the theft of $9,900 from the estate of Diane Ashe, which McLean used as a partial payment on a Harley-Davidson Motorcycle, according to court documents. The charge carries a penalty of one to six years in prison, though probation is an option.
In exchange for the plea, three additional embezzlement counts were dismissed, though McLean is responsible for paying $16,000 in restitution from three separate estates he was initially charged with stealing from.
An economist for the state of Nevada, McLean was elected to the unpaid office of public administrator in November 2006. The office was vacated in February when McLean was unable to secure additional insurance.
As public administrator, he secured the money and property of a deceased person if an heir was not immediately apparent and with court approval, administered the estate.
But a police investigation determined that McLean was helping himself to the bank accounts and property of those who had died, court records indicate.
Previous administrator Richard Glover is the focus of a $10 million lawsuit in which the family of a Wellington man claims Glover made off with their father's valuables prior to his children arriving in Nevada.
Contact reporter F.T. Norton at ftnorton@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1213.