A Las Vegas woman who claimed she had a bomb during a fight over a $14 parking charge has been sentenced to probation instead of prison. Jessica Vazquez pleaded guilty in September to one count of making a bomb threat, and a judge this week ordered her into a mental health treatment program rather than behind bars.
District Judge Christy Craig ordered a suspended sentence of two to five years and directed Vazquez to complete Mental Health Court, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. If Vazquez fails to meet the terms of her probation, she could still be ordered to serve the original prison sentence. Prosecutors had agreed not to oppose probation as long as the mental health court requirement was part of the deal, the paper reported.
Vazquez thanked Craig during the hearing for the opportunity she was given, and Chief Deputy District Attorney Michael Schwartzer argued that probation was an appropriate remedy for someone dealing with mental health issues, noting Vazquez has a minimal criminal record, per the same account.
A Parking Dispute Spirals Into a Street Shutdown
The case began in June, when Vazquez parked in a garage near the Regional Justice Center in downtown Las Vegas. She became upset over the amount she was being charged after multiple credit or debit cards failed to process, according to 8 News Now. An arrest report cited by FOX5 Vegas says Vazquez told a parking enforcement officer, “I have a bomb, I have a bomb… there’s a bomb in the area,” and separately told an attendant there was a bomb in her vehicle…