Paris Hilton’s ex, Cy Waits, gets suspended sentence for DUI traffic stop

By Dave Toplikar

Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2011 | 8:53 a.m.

Las Vegas businessman Cy Waits today pleaded no contest to a drug-related driving charge stemming from a highly publicized traffic stop last year on the Las Vegas Strip with his ex-girlfriend, Paris Hilton.

Waits, 35, dressed in a three-piece suit, stood silent throughout most of the proceedings this morning in Las Vegas Justice Court as Justice of the Peace William Kephart went through the plea agreement Waits made with prosecutors.

Under the deal, Waits agreed to plead no contest to a misdemeanor charge of driving under the influence of marijuana Aug. 27, 2010, during a traffic stop in front of the Wynn Las Vegas, according to his attorney, Richard Schonfeld.

In return, two other charges were dismissed against him, including a charge of having marijuana in his possession, Schonfeld told the judge.

Kephart honored the deal, imposing a 30-day suspended sentence. Waits also must pay a $585 fine, go to a DUI school and attend a victim impact panel discussion. He was also given two days credit for time served in the Clark County Detention Center.

"You are to stay out of trouble. You are to stay drug-free. You are to complete these requirements in the time frame I give you," Kephart said. "If you do so, I will close the case. If not, you are facing 30 days in the Clark County Detention Center. If you get arrested for another DUI during the pendency of this case, I don't care if it's alcohol or drugs, you will do six months in the Clark County Detention Center."

Waits was given a court date of 7:30 a.m. Nov. 23 to see if he has complied with the judge's requirements.

Kephart said he would give Waits 90 days to get started on the requirements and if he needed more time, Kephart would give it to him. If he gets all the requirements finished by Nov. 23, Waits doesn't have to make a court appearance himself, Kephart said.

"It's nice to have it all done," Waits said outside the courtroom. "It's nice to have it all behind me. And I have two great lawyers."

The entrepreneur said he is working on some projects in both Los Angeles and Las Vegas that were still in negotiations.

Waits had a relationship for about a year with Hilton, the celebrity heiress and reality TV star. Hilton and Waits announced publicly they had split last month.

"I can't talk about that," he said, but did say they were friends. "That chapter in my life is closed."

Police stopped the couple Aug. 27 in a black Cadillac Escalade after an officer reported a "vapor trail" of marijuana smoke wafting from the vehicle as they were on the Las Vegas Strip in front of the Wynn.

Waits, who was driving, failed field sobriety tests given by a motorcycle officer. Hilton told an officer she needed to go inside to use a restroom and an officer saw a bag of cocaine fall out of her handbag. Hilton initially told police the purse and cocaine were not hers, but did claim the rolling papers, $1,300 in cash and several credit cards.

She was banned from two Wynn resorts on the Strip after the arrest. Waits was dismissed from his nightclub job.

Hilton pleaded guilty in September to misdemeanor cocaine possession and obstruction charges. She's serving a year of probation.