Man snared in home invasion sting sentenced to 20 years

By Steve Kanigher

Thursday, May 20, 2010 | 8:39 p.m.

A federal judge sentenced Las Vegas resident Deonte Reed on Wednesday to 20 years in prison after he was convicted of conspiring to commit a home invasion robbery to steal a large quantity of cocaine, Nevada’s U.S. Attorney Daniel Bogden said today.

The 20-year-old Reed was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kent J. Dawson.

Reed was convicted by a jury in February of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery, conspiracy to possess cocaine with intent to distribute, and possession of a firearm during crimes of drug trafficking and violence.

Three co-defendants, Steven Golden, 23, of North Las Vegas, and Las Vegas residents Justin Spentz, 20, and Leonard Jackson, 23, were sentenced in March and April to roughly 16 years in prison each.

Golden and Spentz were convicted by a jury in December of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery, conspiracy to possess cocaine with intent to distribute, and possession of a firearm during crimes of drug trafficking and violence.

Jackson was convicted by a separate jury in December of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery and conspiracy to possess cocaine with intent to distribute.

Between April 15 and May 15, 2008, special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol,

Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted a reverse sting investigation involving a number of individuals who were alleged to be involved in home invasion robberies in the Las Vegas area.

The ATF agents, acting in an undercover capacity, portrayed themselves as working as drug couriers for Mexican organized crime.

The undercover agents advised the defendants about the existence of a drug stash house in Las Vegas containing between 27 and 46 kilograms of cocaine.

The defendants agreed to invade the house by armed force and steal the cocaine. On the day of the planned robbery, May 15, 2008, ATF agents arrested all of the individuals who had conspired to rob the drug stash house. During the arrests, ATF recovered two firearms, including a Glock 9 mm semi-automatic pistol with an extended magazine and loaded with 32 rounds of ammunition, and a Taurus .45-caliber semi-automatic pistol loaded with hollow-point bullets. Agents also recovered a ski-mask.

The undercover investigation by ATF resulted in the federal convictions of 14 defendants. ATF was assisted by Metro Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric Johnson and Michael Chu.