GARDNERVILLE, Nev. (AP) — A judge has sentenced a man to up to 61 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to shooting a Nevada deputy multiple times during a traffic stop in December.
Nicholas Berreman, 23, of California, pleaded guilty in February to multiple charges including attempted murder of a first responder, prohibited person in possession of a gun and battery with a deadly weapon causing substantial bodily harm. He was also fined $15,000 on Monday.
Police said multiple Douglas County deputies stopped a vehicle being driven by Kaela Mae Horse-Berreman, 31, on the night of December 20th. Deputies recognized Berreman as the passenger, who at the time was wanted by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation for violating his parole.
Sgt. John Lenz was shot three times while attempting to arrest Berreman, including in the cheek, authorities said. Lenz was taken to a hospital where he spent more than a week receiving multiple emergency surgeries. Lenz has since returned to duty with the Douglas County sheriff’s office.
Berreman was shot in his hand and taken to a hospital for treatment before being booked into the Carson City sheriff’s office jail. His attorney asked the court to show mercy because he was young and had a difficult upbringing in poverty.
However, the judge said Berreman’s criminal history warranted a maximum sentence. Berreman was sentenced to four years in prison in 2019 for a previous assault on a police officer in California. He was released early after serving a partial sentence.