Juvenile Sentenced to Prison

WCDA Releases Outcome of Murder/Robbery Case From 2015

The Washoe County District Attorney’s Office has announced that a 16 Reno juvenile has been sentenced to a total of 110 years in prison for shooting and killing a 16 year old Reno boy in December of 2015.  The Office secured a 1^st Degree murder conviction and sentencing after having obtained adult certification of the juvenile. 

Christian Joel Scott was 15 years old at the time he shot and killed a local 16 year old boy during a pre-planned robbery of a Gucci belt.  Scott was found guilty in March of 1^st Degree Murder, Robbery, and Attempted Murder in Washoe County District Court following a 6-day jury trial.  Following the guilty verdict, a penalty phase occurred for the murder charge and the jury sentenced Scott to 50 years in prison, with parole eligibility after a minimum of 20 years has been served. On Tuesday, May 2, 2017, Scott was sentenced on the remaining charges to a consecutive term of 60 additional years in prison. The combined sentence for all charges ensures that Scott will serve a minimum of 33 years in prison before parole eligibility begins. Scott will be imprisoned in the NDOC juvenile facility until he turns 18 and transfers to an adult prison.

The case against Scott began on December 29, 2015, when Reno Police Department Robbery Homicide Detectives began an investigation into a shooting at Pat Baker Park.  Detectives determined that the shooting was related to a confrontation between Scott, and two juvenile victims.  Scott had robbed the victims at gunpoint of a Gucci belt the victims had intended to sell to him.  Shortly after being robbed, the two victims were driving in the area when they again encountered Scott who shot at the pair, hitting the 16 year old driver in the head.  The victim was transported to Renown Medical Center, where he was later pronounced dead.  The second juvenile victim was not injured.  Detectives were able to identify and arrest Scott a short time later. This office subsequently filed formal criminal charges and petitioned for adult certification.

During this most recent sentencing, Deputy District Attorney Amos Stege argued that Scott’s crime was an egregious and pre-planned act of violence.    

In 2014, Nevada law regarding certification of juveniles who commit violent crimes changed (see NRS 62B.390).  Prior to the change, juveniles charged with murder or attempted murder would have been automatically considered adult defendants.  Currently, adult certification for these charges must be specifically sought by the District Attorney, a decision which is based on the nature of the offense, the history of the offender and the safety of the community.  In addition to the removal of automatic adult certification, the 2015 legislature (AB267) changed the penalties for juveniles convicted as adults and eliminated life without parole sentences.  In Nevada, the maximum sentence that can be imposed on a juvenile is life with the possibility of parole in 20 years unless the conviction resulted from a murder where two or more deaths occurred