Trial canceled after man admits escape charge

A Gardnerville man facing trial on charges he ran from parole and probation officers while in handcuffs pleaded guilty to a felony escape charge Tuesday.

Cristian Jose Morales, 27, faces a decade in prison and a $10,000 fine. Under a deal with prosecutors, they agreed to recommend his four-year sentence and run it concurrently with his original sentence in exchange for a plea to a charge of battery by an inmate in connection with a fight in December.

Morales was on probation for possession of a controlled substance for sale when a probation officer went to search his home on July 7, 2022.

He was allegedly using drugs in the garage and was arrested and placed in handcuffs while law enforcement gathered evidence.

Morales was convicted of possession of a controlled substance for sale on April 5 after being arrested in December 2021 with methamphetamine, marijuana, cocaine and oxycodone.

The trial, which was set for January 5-6, was released.

• A Sacramento man pleaded guilty Tuesday to four commercial burglaries in October.

Andrey Yakimov, 34, pleaded guilty to one count of burglary of a business and faces up to five years in prison.

He will be ordered to pay restitution for the break-ins at Pacific Gas, Jamba Juice, Starbuck’s and Harrah’s.

He has no right to evidence under the agreement.

Douglas County Sheriff’s investigators were responding to a series of burglaries at Carson Valley Plaza on Oct. 22 when they received a report that someone was inside the Pacific Gas Station in Gardnerville.

Yakimov entered the businesses through the roof after using a ladder to climb up.

He is scheduled to be sentenced on February 21.

• A Dayton woman said she left Western Nevada Regional Drug Court because she had been sober for a long time.

Ashley Michele McKnight, 32, appeared in Douglas County District Court on Tuesday, saying she had attended the mandated program twice before being dropped.

District Judge Tod Young said he disagreed with the assessment but would modify the decision to allow him to do weekly counseling after he is released from prison.

McKnight said she still has a problem that could result in her being jailed in El Dorado County.

McKnight received a suspended sentence of 2-5 years in prison on the condition that he serve 90 days in jail and attend Western Nevada Regional Drug Court.

• The Department of Parole and Probation appears to have given up on Mason Lee Dailey, who is facing a new charge of being under the influence of fentanyl and admitted a violation of his probation.

Dailey, 37, had his deferred sentence lifted after he failed to appear in Veterans Court in Reno. He admitted to selling a drug used to treat opium addiction.

A 14-year veteran of the Army, Dailey was honorably discharged, according to attorney Nadine Morton.

“Everything has gotten out of hand,” he said. “I have the tools to stay sober, but I don’t know why I don’t.”

Under a deal, he will plead guilty to the DUI charge in East Fork Justice Court and return for felony sentencing on Feb. 7.

“Mr. Dailey doesn’t ask for help,” District Judge Tod Young said in revoking his diversion.