Defendant Sentenced to Life Without Parole

Deemed a Habitual Criminal Following 37 Felony Convictions

District Attorney Chris Hicks announces that Stephen Bartlett has been sentenced to life in prison without parole as a habitual criminal.

The case against Bartlett began in October of 2010, when officers with the Sparks Police Department responded to a call for a fraudulent sale at Western Nevada Supply that had occurred earlier that month. Bartlett, using a false name, claimed he had placed an order for almost $9,000 in copper pipe on behalf of the Northern Nevada Correctional Center. Bartlett arrived in a rental truck and took the copper from the business. During the investigation, it was discovered that Bartlett had been an inmate at Stewart Conservation Center and had been reported missing on October 1^st. Bartlett was located two weeks later in Southern California and was extradited back to Nevada.

After serving time for his escape charge, the Washoe County District Attorney’s Office received Bartlett’s Grand Larceny case related to the Western Nevada Supply theft in 2013. Bartlett pled guilty to Grand Larceny in May 2014 and was set to be sentenced in September of 2014, however he failed to appear after having been previously released from custody over the WCDA’s strenuous objection.

A subsequent search for Bartlett led to him being found back in California, where he had robbed 10 banks and was captured after leading law enforcement on a lengthy pursuit. Bartlett has spent the last 10 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to 5 counts of Bank Robbery. He was then extradited back Washoe County.

Deputy District Attorney Darcy Cameron argued that Bartlett’s overwhelming prior criminal history, which is comprised of 37 felonies, justifies him being sentenced to life without parole as a habitual criminal. Judge Scott Freeman presided and imposed the sentence of life without the possibility of parole.