LAS VEGAS - Clark County District Court Judge Elizabeth Gonzalez this morning sentenced PFSN Inc. "guardian" Patience Bristol to three to eight years in Nevada State Prison for stealing from elderly or vulnerable clients assigned to her by PFSN's owner Jared E. Shafer.
During the one hour hearing, four victims spoke, often mentioning her employer Shafer and his firm in their emotional pleas for a maximum sentence.
Originally, Las Vegas Metro Police charged Bristol with twenty one counts of exploiting the elderly and vulnerable, but attorneys for Bristol were successful in negotiating a plea bargain with Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson to drop twenty of the counts.
Dr. Ron Dutton told the court that Bristol stole assets from his brother Jean Dutton that were intended to pay for his living in a group home, but he is now forced to be on welfare at taxpayer's expense.
Dutton tearfully stated; "I thought she was going to be my brother's guardian angel." He then described Bristol's Mercedes Benz paid for from money she stole, and asked the court to render a maximum sentence.
Victim and ward Kristina Berger told the court that Bristol told her "I will always love you and be with you. You will never have to worry."
Later when Berger discovered that Bristol had stolen over $400,000 of her assets, Berger said Bristol threatened her, and said "No one will ever believe you. I'm the only one you can trust."
Then Berger told the court "She threatened me," and that she feared for her life. "They are going to kill me if I don't get better." "They took everything I had." Berger also asked for the maximum sentence.
Judge Gonzalez stated that "The DA requested a less than maximum sentence." No explanation was given as to why DA Wolfson made the request.
Judge Gonzalez also ordered Bristol to pay $160,480.00 in restitution.
Charges have yet to be filed against Jared Shafer.
BACKGROUND:
Steve Miller, is a former Las Vegas City Councilman. In 1991, the readers of the Las Vegas Review Journal voted him the “Most Effective Public Official” in Southern Nevada. Miller writes internationally syndicated columns on organized crime and political corruption for Rick Porrello’s AmericanMafia.com.
