Former Conforte attorney turns on old boss, county officials

Peter Perry, who once represented the owner of the Mustang Ranch, now is acting in behalf of David Burgess, who runs the neighboring Old Bridge Ranch.

Burgess' brothel license has been yanked because members of the Hells Angels motorcycle gang are hanging around and allegedly have criminal connections.

Perry's lawsuit claims that Storey County Sheriff Bob Del Carlo and former county Commissioner Shirley Coletti took cash from Conforte as did former District Attorney Virgil Bucchianeri.

He said Marshall Bouvier, another former district attorney, received money from the late Sally Conforte, who was Joe Conforte's wife and David Burgess' aunt.

Perry's suit contends that Conforte still has a hidden interest in the Mustang Ranch, which was sold at an Internal Revenue Service auction before Conforte fled the country. Perry says Conforte wants to gain control of the Old Bridge Ranch, which is in bankruptcy reorganization.

Perry also has been sued by the current owners of the Mustang Ranch for defamation and slander for Perry's claims that Conforte is the real owner of the ranch, the Reno Gazette-Journal reported on Tuesday.

Both lawsuits were filed with the Storey County clerk and are pending before the district court in Carson City.

George Flint, speaking for Ms. Colletti, the Mustang Ranch and the Nevada Brothel Association, said Ms. Colletti categorically denied the statements in Perry's lawsuit.

"Mr. Perry might be advised to tread very carefully on the character of a former county commissioner," Flint said. "Of late, Mr. Perry has been very quick to spread his own brand of sour grapes, probably in large part due to the fact that he has lost his job as general counsel for the Mustang Ranch."

Del Carlo could not immediately be reached for comment and Bucchianeri declined comment until he had a chance to read Perry's filing. Bouvier said any exchange of money came when he was representing Mrs. Conforte in a divorce action against Joe Conforte that later was dropped.

Bouvier is president of A.G.E. Enterprises, which filed Friday's lawsuit against Perry. That action also seeks clarification of ownership of the Mustang Ranch.

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