Outstanding warrant list prompts some to surrender

Since the Carson City Sheriff's Department published a list of people with outstanding warrants on its website last month, 56 warrants have been cleared from the files.

"I'm very pleased with the progress, however it's not clearing as many as I had hoped," Sheriff Ken Furlong said.

Records indicate 11 people surrendered, 23 warrants were canceled and 22 people were arrested since Jan. 1.

"We will continue this operation all year long. The 2011 goal is to reduce warrants by 30 percent," said Furlong.

On Feb. 3, an updated list detailing 3,333 active warrants was posted on ccsheriff.com. Among those, 1,057 are criminal contempt warrants, 1,286 are for failure to appear, six are for DUI, 359 are alternative sentencing violations, 16 are for theft, 11 for embezzlement and 28 are for domestic battery charges. Two murder warrants stem from a 1999 shooting on Highway 50 East in which a teen was killed.

While the majority of warrants are for people from Carson City, the list also contains 17 people who live in Gardnerville, 12 from Minden, 22 from Dayton, seven from Mound House, four from Silver Springs,

82 from Reno and 48 from Lake Tahoe. There are several people from out of state also

listed.

The bulk of the warrants are for failing to pay traffic citations.

The subject of a warrant can either call dispatch at 887-2007 or go to the front counter of the sheriff's office to surrender.

For minor traffic citations, visit the Carson City Justice Court, Fines and Fees Office on the second floor to pay the warrant.

Or you pay at www.is

cintl.com/_payments/fines

_and_fees.php.

The following traffic citation warrants are not payable: Driving without a valid driver's license, second or subsequent offense; fraudulent use of a driver's license; failure to use child restraints; any offense involving an accident; aggressive driving; DUI or if no bail is indicated on the warrant.

People who use the online payment method should be aware that the warrant is still active until at least the next business day when the payment can be recorded.

Also, payments in check or money order can be placed in a brown mailbox outside the courthouse day or night. Along with the payment, include the defendant's name, a copy of the original citation if possible, and a contact number should there be any questions.

For the complete list of active Carson City warrants updated monthly visit

ccsheriff.com and click on "Carson City's Most Wanted."

In addition to hoping people will clear up their warrants on their own, deputies are now getting updated lists of warrants in their beats, to include addresses of people with warrants and photographs of the subjects wanted, said Furlong.

"These warrants will not go away until they are served - so take care of it now or when you least expect it," he said.