Former Mineral County Sheriff Stewart Handte was arrested for the second time, allegedly for violating the conditions of his release while out on bail. Handte and Roger Hillygus face charges of kidnapping Hillygus’s mother from an Alzheimer’s care facility in 2019.
Handte, in 2022, was arrested for not wearing a GPS-tracking ankle monitor. He was arrested again this week for leaving Washoe County, a condition of his release while out on bail.
Court records show Handte traveled to Carson City last week, which prompted his latest arrest. He is alleged to have left Washoe County on Sept. 22 and 25.
The defendants last week were again unable to secure a plea deal with the Washoe County District Attorney. District Court Judge Barry Breslow twice scheduled hearings for pleadings in the case. After the first hearing, he chastised the parties for coming to court without a deal, and after a second plea hearing last week, Breslow again appeared frustrated after both parties announced no plea deal was forthcoming.
The judge then ordered a jury trial scheduled for January. The jurors will be anonymous due to threats and harassment by supporters of Hillygus and Handte.
Hillygus protested. He said the court is engaging in negligence, and the delays in the case are excessive.
“The state and the DA are to blame for the delay,” Hillygus said.
Breslow disagreed. He said some of the case’s delays were from the pandemic, and the defendants are also responsible for delays.
“Mr. Hillygus was out of this jurisdiction on warrant status for close to six months or nine months, and that added quite a bit [of time],” he said. “And then when we were set to go to trial a month ago … the collective response was, ‘no’. If anyone is frustrated, the people are equally frustrated.”
Handte is scheduled to appear in court Tuesday to determine whether he violated the conditions of his release.
