Carson City man sentenced to two to six years in home-invasion case

A Carson City man was sentenced to two to six years in prison on one count of home invasion and one count of subordination of perjury Tuesday morning in district court.

Dennis Harrison Jr., 24, told Judge James Wilson he wants to get treatment for his problem with alcohol.

“I do believe that I have a serious alcohol problem. My anger problems are really alcohol problems,” he said.

The victim told Wilson that Harrison is a good man when he is not drinking. Harrison pleaded guilty to breaking down her door.

“When he drinks, he gets angry, and when he doesn’t, he’s a really good person,” she said. “He shouldn’t have kicked in the door. He did. But, he didn’t get violent. I was too scared to let him in,” which led to him breaking the door, she said. “I want to have a family with him.”

Deputy District Attorney Melanie Porter described a series of violent encounters that led to convictions for Harrison, including one at a Lake Tahoe beach in which he hit another man in the head with a rock and began punching him.

“There is nothing in Mr. Harrison’s history that gives the court any idea that he is” anything but a violent person, she said. “How many acts of violence must this community have to put up with?” she asked the judge. Porter asked that the judge sentence Harrison to three to eight years in prison.

“Anything short gives him too much leniency to commit (more) acts of violence,” she said.

Harrison’s defense attorney, Noel Waters, told the judge Harrison had atoned for those acts.

“He was clearly involved in an ongoing relationship (with the victim,)” he said. “There was some basis for him being there.”

Waters asked the judge to “put aside the invitation to be inflamed. He has some redeeming social value. Does it warrant a prison sentence? I don’t think the facts warrant it.”

Wilson told Harrison his primary concern was Harrison’s record of violence, citing three prior battery convictions and his “dismal performance on probation” on all the battery counts.

Harrison was sentenced to a year to 34 months on the second count of subordination of perjury, but the judge ordered it to run concurrently with the home-invasion count, meaning the sentences will be served at the same time. He was given credit for 100 days served in the Carson City Jail.

ALSO IN DISTRICT COURT

• Michael Fletcher pleaded guilty to the fraudulent use of a credit card. He faces up to four years in prison and a $5,000 fine. He pleaded guilty to using his niece’s debit card to take $120 from two ATMs. Sentencing was set for July 30.

• James Harrington, 25, was given a suspended sentence and put on probation on a single count of possession of a controlled substance. Harrington told the judge he is now on the right path.

• Gavin Knight pleaded guilty to trafficking in a controlled substance, four to 14 grams. He told the judge he sold 5.96 grams of methamphetamine for $350 during a controlled buy. He faces one to six years in prison and up to a $50,000 fine. Sentencing was set for 9 a.m. July 2. Nevada law states the offense mandates prison time.

• Angelina McMahon, of South Lake Tahoe, was sentenced to 45 days in jail on a gross misdemeanor count of theft of services, less than $250. She was given credit for 24 days time already served.