WCDA Releases Newest Habitual Criminal Sentencing

Conviction on Firearms Charges Against Felon Results in 20 Year Sentence

Washoe County District Attorney Chris Hicks has announced that a habitual criminal has been sentenced to 20 years in prison in his most recent conviction. The defendant, who pled to a firearms charge last fall, has a long history of felony convictions and will serve a minimum of 8 years in prison before becoming eligible for parole.

Scott Allen Dieter, 55, from Sparks pled guilty in August, 2016 to one count of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person.  Following Dieter’s plea, the prosecutor in the case, Chief Deputy District Attorney (CDDA) Kristin Erickson, filed a notice of intent to seek habitual criminal status in the case based on the defendant’s lengthy criminal history.  Dieter’s history contained 10 felony convictions including burglary, drug trafficking and numerous theft charges. This filing allowed the prosecutor to argue for a longer prison term than the 1 to 6 years the firearms charge carried, which was warranted based on Dieter’s pattern of continuous criminal conduct in this community.

Dieter was arrested in June, 2016 when detectives with the Regional Repeat Offender Program (ROP) began an investigation into a report of firearms violations. ROP detectives determined that Dieter handled and manipulated several operable handguns and rifles in a firearms store.  Dieter was arrested and this office filed formal criminal charges against him. 

At sentencing, CDDA Erickson presented proof of Dieter’s previous 10 felony convictions and argued that habitual sentencing was justified by his continuous victimization and threat to this community.  In addition, an earlier sentencing date had been postponed based on several claims made by Dieter that he was attempting rehabilitation.  However, the prosecutor and ROP detectives were able to disprove Dieter’s claims prior to yesterday’s sentencing, thus exposing his numerous attempts to manipulate the court in his favor.  

The Washoe County District Attorney’s Office works closely with the Northern Nevada Repeat Offender Program on cases involving habitual criminals. Prosecutors and detective work to bring these offenders to justice and pursue long prison sentences to ensure the community’s safety.