Witness in high-profile cases pleads guilty to conspiracy charges
Robert Justice, the chief prosecution witness in two high-profile criminal investigations, pleaded guilty Tuesday in the drug conspiracy case against attorney Nancy Quon and her boyfriend.
Justice, 45, a two-time felon, pleaded to drug and murder conspiracy charges in what prosecutors suspect was a scheme to unlawfully acquire the club drug gamma-hydroxybutyric acid for Quon to kill herself.
Prosecutors have alleged that Quon and her boyfriend, former Las Vegas police officer William Ronald Webb, planned her death between Oct. 26 and Nov. 9. Webb, 43, is facing drug and murder conspiracy charges.
Quon, 51, who investigators say provided the cash for the GHB deal with undercover detectives, has been charged with one drug conspiracy count.
According to his plea deal, prosecutors have the right to argue for prison time for Justice at his Nov. 15 sentencing before District Judge Jackie Glass. He faces three to 15 years behind bars and up to a $15,000 fine on the two felonies.
Justice agreed to forfeit $9,600 detectives seized from him after his drug arrest in November.
If Glass sentences Justice to probation and he fulfills all of his obligations under probation, the murder conspiracy charge will be dismissed.
In return for his testimony against Quon and Webb, prosecutors will dismiss several other felony charges against Justice in that case.
They also will not charge him in the other criminal case in which he is cooperating. In that case, Las Vegas police officer Thomas Mendiola is charged with unlawfully giving Justice a handgun. Felons by law can’t possess a firearm.
Mendiola, one of the officers who shot and killed Erik Scott outside the Summerlin Costco last summer, faces a May 24 preliminary hearing in Las Vegas Justice Court. But the hearing is not expected to take place. Prosecutors plan to ask a county grand jury next week to indict Mendiola on the felony gun charge to move the case directly to District Court for trial.
A county coroner’s inquest found that Mendiola and two other officers were justified in the July 10 shooting, but Scott’s family later filed a civil rights lawsuit in federal court.
Justice, who has previous theft convictions in Arizona, wouldn’t comment outside the courtroom on Tuesday.
In February, Justice told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that he felt like an "idiot" for landing himself in the middle of the two closely watched criminal cases.
He said he made some bad decisions and was overwhelmed by his predicament.
Quon and Webb were indicted with Justice last month in the scheme to obtain the GHB from the undercover detectives. The couple thought the drug would be undetectable, authorities have said.
Prosecutors had asked the grand jury to indict Quon and Webb on arson and insurance fraud charges stemming from a suspicious Oct. 28 fire at Quon’s home, but the panel refused to do so.
The district attorney’s office plans to present the arson case to a new grand jury later this month.
Authorities think Quon, at the center of a separate federal investigation into fraud and corruption within homeowners associations, set the fire at her Rhodes Ranch home in a botched attempt on her life.
The wealthy construction defects lawyer has denied setting the fire and trying to kill herself.
Prosecutors are operating under a theory that Quon wanted to commit suicide to escape the federal HOA investigation and allow her children to collect her life insurance.
Contact reporter Jeff German at jgerman@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-8135.
