Defendant Sentenced as Habitual Criminal

WCDA Prosecutes Three Repeat Offender Program Cases

The Washoe County District Attorney’s Office has secured sentencings in three cases.

Francisco Cardenas (dob 9/1/75) was sentenced to a total of 25 years in prison with eligibility for parole after 10 years on two separate cases.

The first case against the defendant began in February of last year, after Reno Police responded to a report of a Grand Larceny at a local convenience store. Cardenas and a co-defendant drove to the shop, wrapped a chain around the coin air compressor, and pulled it from the ground before driving off with it. The air compressor was valued at $2,500 and there was an estimated $500 in change inside. Detectives with the Northern Nevada Repeat Offender Program (ROP) became aware of two other cases involving the same defendants being caught on surveillance video committing the same crime at other stores. After being arrested, Cardenas admitted to all the thefts and eventually pled guilty to one count of Grand Larceny, as the thefts were combined into one case.

On April 9^th, 2023, RPD responded to a report of a burglary at a self-storage facility. The victim, a 72-year-old woman, told police that a few days prior, Cardenas had helped her move some items into her storage unit, including silver bullion cubes worth more than $35,000. Two days after, the victim received a call that her storage unit had been broken into. The woman told police only Cardenas knew about the cubes. A search of local pawn shops revealed that the defendant had recently pawned five silver coins, identified as those of the victim’s. Detectives with ROP detained Cardenas following a traffic stop a few weeks later, and he confessed to the theft. He pled guilty to Exploitation of an Older or Vulnerable Person.

Prior to these two sentences, Cardenas had 7 felony convictions, including Burglary, Trafficking in a Controlled Substance, and Possession of Financial Forgery Laboratory.

Chane Anderson (dob 12/27/90) has been sentenced to the maximum of 10 years in prison with eligibility for parole after 4 years, after pleading guilty to two counts of Possession of a Stolen Vehicle.  

In August of 2023, Anderson was being investigated by Sparks Police for a case. Detectives with ROP identified Anderson as a repeat offender and started an investigation into his activities. While conducting surveillance, the defendant was observed driving two different stolen vehicles. He was subsequently arrested for two counts of Possession of Stolen Motor Vehicle.

These two convictions constitute Anderson’s 6th and 7th felony convictions, with some of his priors including Home Invasion and Robbery.

The Northern Nevada Repeat Offender Program is made up of Detectives from the Reno Police Department, Washoe County Sheriff’s Office, and Sparks Police Department. ROP works closely with the Washoe County District Attorney’s Office to successfully prosecute offenders who repeatedly victimize members of our community.