A hearing is set for Dec. 3 to determine if there is enough evidence to try Carson City's former community outreach coordinator on charges including robbery and extortion.
Javier Ramirez, 38, entered a not guilty plea to felony charges of robbery, extortion in the collection of a debt, and malicious destruction of property.
He was arrested Oct. 22 in a sting operation set up by the Carson City Sheriff's Department between Ramirez and the alleged victim who claimed Ramirez had harassed her for at least two years to repay a $3,000 loan he made to her when she was 17.
According to Carson Sheriff's Detective Craig Lowe, Ramirez stole the victim's purse from her as she walked through a parking lot, refused for weeks to return her property until she gave him money and slashed her tires.
Ramirez was Carson City's community outreach and community block grant coordinator since 2006.
Following his arrest, he was fired from his grant-funded position, leaving the future the of the position up in the air.
"I've met with Nevada Hispanic Services and some other groups to try to understand who does what here in the community and to get a better feel for that," City Manager Larry Werner said Monday. "I'm still trying to mull over how best to approach it.
Things are still in limbo, but I'm kind of leaning to using an existing community organization for outreach."
- Contact reporter F.T. Norton at ftnorton@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1213.