Fake Navy officer guilty in check scam

MINDEN - A man who conned more than a dozen Douglas County businesses into cashing fraudulent checks by posing as a Naval officer "just returned from Iraq" was sentenced to eight years in prison Tuesday.

Robert Damon Clark, 31, of the Gardnerville Ranchos, pleaded guilty to burglary and theft.

He said he was sorry.

"I apologize for the things I've done," he said. "Those are only words, and I know actions speak louder than words. ... I betrayed everybody. I'm sorry for what I did."

Clark owes $16,000 in restitution to 14 victims in Douglas County for his fraudulent actions. He also faces charges in Lyon County, according to Douglas County Deputy District Attorney Dina Salvucci.

At the time of his arrest on April 25, two Nevada driver's licenses belonging to a Thomas Wesley Bridges and a Shawn Bennett were found in Clark's car by deputies.

A Homeland Security Identification card and payroll checks from Naval Air Station Fallon were also in his possession.

Clark was set to go to trial in September on charges of possession of documents to establish false identification and possession of a forged instrument, but signed a plea agreement instead.

District Court Judge David Gamble sentenced Clark to a minimum of 48 months each for burglary and theft, mentioning Clark's "horrible reoffending" and "degree of sophistication."

Clark, who has seven prior convictions, could be paroled as early as 48 months, but his maximum sentence is 120 months for each of the Category B felonies.

"Mr. Clark, I don't know when you'll get out," Gamble said. "I do know every time you've gotten out, you get back in."