Teen’s horse stabbing case highlights differences between juvenile, adult court

A teenage girl accused of stabbing three horses at South Point has spent five months in juvenile detention, and unlike in adult court, that time may not count toward any sentence she eventually receives.

Prosecutors allege that the girl, 17 at the time, intentionally injured three horses inside the South Point Arena &Equestrian Center to prevent them from competing in a barrel racing event on May 30.

She was arrested and taken to the Clark County Juvenile Detention Center that morning, where she has remained since.

The girl’s case has been delayed repeatedly. In June, prosecutors asked the court to certify, or charge her as an adult, a process that attorneys say takes at least three months.

Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson previously said in a news release that the allegations involved “deliberate acts of extreme cruelty against defenseless animals and had significantly affected the victims, their owners and the broader equestrian community.”

“Nevada law allows certain juvenile offenders to be prosecuted as adults when warranted by the seriousness of the conduct,” Wolfson said. “We believe this case meets that standard.”

The certification process stalled for roughly two months while her public defender, James Robison, waited on the results of competency evaluations he had requested.

Robison declined to talk to a reporter on Wednesday. Her parents, who attend her court hearings, have declined to comment in the past.

Family Court Judge Linda Marquis later found the girl fit to understand the proceedings and assist in her defense. The judge will decide whether to certify her after a Dec. 8 hearing.

By then, the girl will have spent six months in custody, though Jon Chagoya, a longtime juvenile defense attorney, said stays that long are not uncommon for children facing certification proceedings or questions about their competency.

“The court can’t address both of those things at the same time,” Chagoya said. “So, when someone requests that competency be evaluated, that pauses every other part of the proceeding.”

Juvenile offenders face a range of punishments, including probation, community service, commitment to a youth corrections facility, or a combination of those options.

Unlike adult offenders, who typically receive credit for time spent in jail before sentencing, juveniles do not receive credit for time spent in custody before their cases are resolved, Chagoya said. He explained that youth commitments are structured as individualized treatment programs rather than fixed sentences.

“There does seem to be an overuse of extended detention for youth as compared to adults,” Chagoya said. “And I think we feel it more acutely.”

If the girl’s case moves to adult court and she is convicted, she could be sentenced to prison time. A judge then would decide whether her time in juvenile detention should count toward that sentence.

Attorney twice requests girl’s release

Juvenile Court has no bail system, so judges decide whether a youth is released.

In June, Robison asked Family Court hearing master Ashley Hanks to release the girl, noting that she has a stable family and is not a flight risk. Hanks denied the request.

“Considering the numerous counts that we have, the serious nature of these charges, the indications that this was substantially premeditated,” Hanks said. “I do find her to be a danger to the public.”

On Oct. 14, Robison again advocated for her release — this time before Marquis — arguing that the girl had mental health issues and needed treatment.

Marquis closed the remainder of the hearing to protect the girl’s medical information, leaving both her competency evaluation’s findings and the judge’s ruling out of public view.

The girl remained in custody a week later.

Her continued detention stood in contrast to the release of an animal cruelty suspect in a separate case: Guadalupe Camarillo Guarneros, 62, who was accused of dragging his horse to death behind his pickup truck.

Guarneros was arrested July 3 and charged with animal cruelty, but he promptly posted bail and was released, according to court records.

On Oct. 22, he pleaded guilty to four counts of conspiracy to commit a crime, all gross misdemeanors. Under the plea agreement, prosecutors agreed to seek no more than six months in jail.

Louis Schneider, a criminal and family attorney and equine advocate, said the girl’s lack of a prior criminal record likely would make probation more probable than prison if she were certified to stand trial as an adult.

Although the adult justice system is generally viewed as more punitive toward juvenile defendants, Schneider questioned whether certification would improve public safety. He said the adult probation system lacks adequate staffing and resources, while incarceration might not address any underlying psychological needs.

“What she did to those horses breaks my heart, but I don’t want to see it happen again,” Schneider said.

He expressed concern that, without appropriate treatment, she could engage in other violent behavior after her release from a corrections facility.

“From what we in the horse community know about her, it’s not that she hates horses but that she hates people,” Schneider added. “If she is put in the adult system, they’re not going to help her.”

Contact Akiya Leggio at [email protected].