North Las Vegas woman convicted in kidnapping stunt
By APSaturday, October 24, 2009
Vegas-area woman convicted in kidnap stunt
LAS VEGAS — A Nevada woman accused of snatching a child to spotlight what she called lax school security has been convicted of conspiracy to commit kidnapping and false imprisonment.
Elaine Clermont was led from the courtroom in handcuffs after jurors announced their verdict Friday. Her 9-year-old daughter sobbed.
“It’s OK,” Clermont told the girl. “I love you. It’s a good thing.”
Clermont’s husband, Chris, had harsh words for the court.
“You people disgust me,” he shouted before leaving.
Clermont of North Las Vegas had been on her own recognizance before trial. After the verdict, Clark County District Judge Doug Herndon set her bond at $10,000. She was not listed as being in custody Saturday, according the Clark County Detention Center’s Web site.
She could face up to six years in prison on the felony conspiracy charge and another year in custody for false imprisonment, a gross misdemeanor. Sentencing was set for Jan. 7.
Clermont and Laurinda Drake were accused of abducting a 6-year-old boy from Mackey Elementary School in September 2008.
Clermont called a television news outlet before contacting police and school officials, and waited an hour to call the child’s parents, authorities said.
The unharmed boy was surrendered at school district headquarters about 90 minutes after being taken.
Drake was acquitted by a jury of similar charges in May.
Clermont’s lawyer Mace Yampolsky said he would seek to have the verdict dismissed on grounds of insufficient evidence.
He said he was “dumbfounded” by the different verdicts for the two women.
Prosecutors were pleased with the jury’s verdict Friday.
“Ms. Clermont always wanted her day in court and we were happy to give it to her,” Chief Deputy District Attorney Roy Nelson told the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Information from: Las Vegas Review-Journal, www.lvrj.com
