Mother questions gross misdemeanor charge

FALLON " The mother of the girl allegedly gang raped at a Jan. 18 teen drinking party said she is upset Jeff Lister's charge of statutory sexual seduction is a gross misdemeanor and not a felony.

The mother said she is convinced Lister is being charged with only with a gross misdemeanor because of his father's position in the community. Mike Lister is a Fallon Municipal Judge.

"I think that's a joke," she said. "I hope that can be changed. Wrong is wrong, and right is right. I don't care if it was George Bush's son.

"It shows if you have ties the way he has ties, you can walk your own walk," she added. "If I (broke the law), I would have the book thrown at me."

Officials said the statutory sexual seduction charge is a felony only if the person committing the crime is 21 years of age or older.

She said the law community is a small one, and everyone knows everyone, and thinks the attorney general's office knew Jeff Lister's father.

"What are you going to do?" she asked. "My daughter was brave and big enough to do her part."

Authorities, she said, had the mindset of pretending the crime did not happen in hopes it would go way.

The mother said her daughter remembered having sex with Lister, although she was extremely intoxicated. However, other teens there told her four other boys raped her.

She said more charges are coming, and she is glad the case is progressing.

Tami Peel, the hostess of the party and a softball coach at the time, has pleaded guilty to five counts of delinquency of minors for providing alcohol and child endangerment. The Nevada Attorney General's Office announced on Tuesday it was going to charge Jeff Lister.

"This isn't the end," the mother said. "They are still investigating other charges."

She said Lister's alleged comment that he couldn't get in trouble because of his father's position shows he is arrogant and thinks he is untouchable.

What was upsetting to her is she had to fight to keep the investigation going after police told her the charges were "iffy," and the sex may have been consensual. She informed police her daughter was 15 years old so she was not at the age of consent.

The mother hired an attorney, Kevin Pasquale, and she believes that helped the case move forward.

The Fallon Police Department, she said, was not ready to handle a case of this magnitude, and said its inexperience showed.

She said her daughter is doing well, but the high school student is a little apprehensive about all the things that are happening The mother said the family is going to move to the East, but will be back in Fallon for every court case.

"We will be flying back for trial. I have no intention of letting anything drop," she said.

She also said she is not happy Peel's pleas are for a gross misdemeanor and five misdemeanors. She also wonders why other adults at the party are not being charged.

She said when she first moved to Fallon, she loved the city but soon discovered newcomers are not treated the same. She also said people living in Fallon all their lives have developed friendships with other long-time residents.