Commissioner Jon Norheim continues to be protected by Clark County leadership as evidence mounts of his estate trafficking for his cronies.

The criminal trial of attorney William Errico is to begin next month on June 17, 2019.  He is indicted on 34 counts of theft and exploitation for stealing over $150,000 from 67 year old client Deeann Clark’s medical malpractice award in 2007 and by using guardianship to steal over $800,000 of the personal injury award he had litigated for victim Wilfred Bosserman, 19 in 2009.  Mr. Errico effectively used Commissioner Jon Norheim to financially exploit a vulnerable adult, Wilfred Bosserman and his mother Angela Smalley.  Angela Smalley and LVMPD exposed Errico to Commissioner Norheim in early 2012 and Norheim took the opportunity to remove Wilfred’s mother as guardian of the estate and protect Mr. Errico while rewarding attorneys Lee Drizin and Michael Van until Norheim was removed from the adult guardianship bench in 2015.  The case languished for 7 years as Errico, through his attorney Bill Terry, avoided prosecution.  Errico was ultimately disbarred in late 2018.

In a separate Norheim adult guardianship estate trafficking case, LVMPD Lt. James Melton’s trial for theft, exploitation, and perjury with attorney Noel Palmer Simpson and guardian April Parks has been continued to September 9, 2019.  The trial had been scheduled to start on Monday but was delayed again last week when the 8^th Judicial District filed a last minute appeal to keep Norheim from testifying against Melton and Melton filed an objection claiming Simpson and Parks worked alone to exploit and steal from victim Beverly Flaherty just before she died in 2011.  Ms. Flaherty’s guardianship file presents mountains of material evidence that Melton solicited Simpson and Parks to assist him in the exploitation of Ms. Flaherty and her estate.  Of course, Commissioner Norheim never recognized exploitation when his cronies were before him.  He consistently took control of estates and redistributed them to his friends in the Nevada BAR.

The timeline for Errico’s actions in the Bosserman case demonstrate Norheim’s culpability in the exploitation of this family. 

·       May 2009, Wilfred Bosserman, 19 is severely injured as a passenger in a car accident.  He suffers severe brain and physical injuries and is in a coma for some time.  Due to the negligence of the driver a civil suit is originated by Wilfred’s mother Angela Smalley, 41 hiring William Errico as counsel.

·       June 2009, Errico instructs Smalley to file for guardianship of her son as he claims that is the only way she can protect him and his pending estate.

·       July 2009, Angela Smalley is awarded guardianship of the person and estate of her son Wilfred Bosserman. Errico is Smalley’s guardianship attorney and confirms Wilfred’s estate is $0 with the court.

·       Late 2009, Wilfred Bosserman is awarded $1.5 million for his injuries.  $1.04 million is given to Errico to be given to Bosserman.  No inventory or documents confirming the estate award are requested by Norheim or filed with the court. 

·       November 2009, Errico requests permission from the court to buy a wheelchair accessible home on 3.4 acres in Pahrump for Wilfred.  Home was under contract and scheduled to close in late November.  The personal injury settlement was mentioned but no value was divulged or the cost of the home.  Norheim approves the purchase and never requires an inventory or transparency on the protected person’s estate, Wilfred Bosserman.

·       January 2011, Errico withdraws from representing Smalley in the guardianship and claims Smalley has hired an unnamed CPA to assist her with court compliance.  Norheim never asks for an inventory or accounting.

·       January 2012, Guardianship Compliance Officer Linda Sisson demands Smalley file her inventory and accountings as general guardian of Wilfred.

·       April 10, 2012, Smalley petitions the court claiming she was not aware filings were required and that her attorney Errico did not pay for her son’s care or provide an accounting for the personal injury proceeds for her son.  She petitions the court for assistance, Norheim ignores her pleas.

·       April 11, 2012, Norheim orders ex parte the removal of Angela Smalley as guardian of the estate of her son, citing her delinquency in filing an inventory, and appoints Lee Drizin, Esq. as guardian of the estate and guardian ad litem(GAL is a court investigator who works specifically at the behest and benefit of the Commissioner).

·       April 25, 2012, LVMPD Det. James Downing files an affidavit with Guardianship Compliance Officer Linda Sisson confirming they have an open investigation of William Errico for stealing over $800,000 from Wilfred Bosserman and no investigation of Angela Smalley.

·       May 1, 2012, Drizin discredits Angela Smalley in reports to Norheim yet his billing records confirm he has spoken to LVMPD investigators Colin Haynes and James Downing and Errico’s attorney Bill Terry about Metro’s investigation into Errico’s actions with Bosserman’s funds.  Bill Terry is a widely recognized criminal defense attorney in Las Vegas.  He has represented many high profile cases of attorneys who stole from clients including convicted guardianship attorney Noel Palmer Simpson, indicted personal injury attorney Matthew Dunkley who is accused of stealing $1.8 million from his disabled clients, and disciplined adult guardianship judge William Potter.

·       March 26, 2014, Norheim orders the transfer of the guardian of estate to attorney Michael Van from Lee Drizin.  Lee Drizin bills the estate of Wilfred Bosserman over $7,000 for his services but he never submits an inventory or accounting while fully controlling the estate for two years.

·       June 1, 2015, Commissioner Jon Norheim and Judge Charles Hoskin permanently barred from hearing adult guardianship cases in Nevada.

·       June 26, 2015, William Errico, Esq. indicted for criminal theft and exploitation of Deeann Clark and Wilfred Bosserman.

·       December 30, 2015, at the request of newly appointed Judge Dianne Steel, the 1^st accounting in the guardianship of Wilfred Bosserman is filed by guardian of the estate Michael Van, Esq. indicating Bosserman had a net worth of $0, was on Medicaid, and obtained only $360 in state subsidies the previous year.  The attorneys, with the help of Commissioner Norheim, consumed or stole nearly all of the $1.5 million personal injury settlement Wilfred Bosserman was awarded due to his injuries in 2009.  Wilfred never benefitted from his settlement while his care was paid for by taxpayers thru Medicaid assistance.  No inventory was ever filed.

·       June 13, 2016, Sandra Stahl, CPA is ordered ex parte to replace Michael Van, Esq. as guardian of the estate.

·       June 17, 2019, William Errico, Esq. is scheduled to go to trial for the theft and exploitation of Deeann Clark and Wilfred Bosserman.

Once again in this guardianship case, Commissioner Jon Norheim rewarded his friends in the Nevada BAR while exploiting the protected person with his rulings and punishing innocent family members.  Most concerning is Norheim ignored LVMPD Detective James Downing’s filing on April 25, 2012 confirming an ongoing criminal investigation of Errico, and NONE against the mother Angela Smalley, and that Errico transferred at least $800,000 of Bosserman’s funds from his IOLTA account to his personal account. Commissioner Norheim continues to serve as a hearing master for divorce and child custody cases in the Nevada 8th District and continues to be fully protected by court and county leadership.