Court briefs for July 6, 2000

Six-month sentence for telemarketing

A Las Vegas man charged in connection with a nationwide telemarketing scheme that targeted the elderly has been sentenced to six months in prison.

U.S. District Court Judge Johnnie Rawlinson sentenced Martin D. Voss Wedneday after he pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. Federal prosecutors agreed to dismiss a second charge of wire fraud and one count of aiding and abetting in exchange for the guilty plea.

Voss, 34, was part of a nationwide telemarketing scheme calling itself the Winner's Circle that bilked more than $1.2 million from hundreds of victims, according to court records.

The group called elderly residents and informed them they had won large cash prizes, and then convinced them that in order to collect the prize they had to pay a fee. Members of the group were located in Nevada, California and Georgia, but the scam hit residents across the country, federal prosecutors said.

Voss also was ordered to serve three years probation and pay restitution of $11,300. Seven people were charged in connection with the scheme.

LV man indicted on drug charges

A federal grand jury has indicted a Las Vegas man on charges of drug distribution and money laundering.

Van Lee was charged in a 23-count indictment Wednesday for allegedly selling a drug used to make methamphetamine, and then attempting to launder the profits of nearly $1 million through a local bank.

Lee, also known as Van Ly, was charged with four counts of distributing pseudoephedrine, a chemical used to manufacture methamphetamine. He also faces 10 counts of structuring a transaction to evade reporting requirements by allegedly depositing proceeds from the sale of an regulated drug in to a Las Vegas bank. He has also been charged with eight counts of money laundering.

Federal prosecutors are seeking to seize assets totalling nearly $1 million from Lee, according to the indictment.

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