Police accuse Las Vegas attorney of recruiting felons to kill former client
Updated February 5, 2025 - 5:58 am
Las Vegas police allege that attorney Gary Guymon conspired with two felons to kill a client while Guymon was under investigation in a sex trafficking case.
Guymon also is accused of intimidating that client into prostitution while maintaining a sexual relationship with her, according to a Metropolitan Police Department arrest report.
No one other than Guymon had been charged in the case as of Tuesday, court records show.
Guymon, 62, was arrested Monday morning at a parking garage across from the Regional Justice Center on suspicion of solicitation to commit murder, conspiracy to commit murder, sex trafficking of an adult, three counts of pandering, perjury, coercion with threat of force and three counts of bribing or intimidating a witness.
A court appearance for Guymon was canceled after he bailed out of jail Monday. Records show that two justices of the peace — Harmony Letizia and Amy Chelini — recused themselves from his case on Tuesday because of a “conflict.”
In a brief phone conversation Tuesday, Guymon told the Las Vegas Review-Journal: “I have no comment.”
Guymon, a former prosecutor, is scheduled to appear in court March 6.
As he was being arrested Monday, Guymon denied being involved in soliciting a murder, stating that he “may have had conversations with subjects to go ‘speak with her,’” the report said.
But police have accused Guymon of using Donald Hinton, a felon connected to a 2006 double murder, to introduce him to another man, Daniel McLeroy, in order to plot his client’s killing, according to a copy of the arrest report obtained by the Review-Journal.
A grand jury indicted Hinton and other defendants on murder and arson charges in 2006 in connection with the deaths of Ignacio Rangel and Sierra Parsons. Hinton later pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery and robbery. He has other prior felony convictions including burglary, receiving or transferring a stolen vehicle, forgery and grand larceny, court records show.
Hinton did not respond Tuesday to a request for comment.
When reached by phone, McLeroy told the Review-Journal that the accusations in the report are “crazy.” He denied plotting to kill Guymon’s client or even knowing who she is.
“I’m an upstanding citizen now,” he said. “I have nothing to do with this case.”
McLeroy has multiple prior felony convictions for battery, court records show.
Phone was wiretapped
According to the report, police in November interviewed one of Guymon’s clients who said their relationship had turned romantic after he began representing her. She said that in October, Guymon began sending her text messages implying that he had become her “gorilla pimp.”
According to the report, Guymon used threats involving the woman’s child custody case, along with the apartment and vehicle he purchased for her, to exert control over her. He is also accused of encouraging and intimidating the woman into prostitution for one of his associates, Keith Harriman, the report said.
Harriman did not respond Tuesday to a request for comment.
Police obtained a text message that Harriman sent Guymon in September, when he asked Guymon: “still running that prostitution ring huh?” the report said.
Guymon’s client also told police that another one of his associates, Joseph Dawoud, offered to pay her rent for a year if she stopped cooperating with the investigation of Guymon.
Dawoud declined to comment when reached by the Review-Journal on Tuesday.
Detectives first interviewed Guymon on Nov. 13, when he denied being in a romantic relationship with his client and said that while he introduced her to other men, “it was only for dinners.”
The report indicates that Guymon was interviewed by police at least twice and that at one point he sent police 44 emails, plus voicemails and text messages, in which he tried to explain his actions with his client.
Metro placed a wiretap on Guymon’s phone and monitored a call he made Jan. 9 to another woman identified in the report as a “mistress of Guymon.”
Guymon talked to his mistress about his client during that call and said: “I am not saying I have anything to do with this, but the only way to stop this girl is to kill her. I’m not saying that’s the solution or you know,” according to the report.
A day later, police recorded a phone call Guymon made to Hinton in which the two talked in vague terms about paying a third party. After that call, police determined that Hinton contacted McLeroy, who was then tracked visiting Guymon’s law office, according to the report.
McLeroy told the Review-Journal he was speaking with Guymon in order to expunge his criminal record. According to the report, Guymon and McLeroy got in a car together and drove to “the victim’s apartment complex,” the report said.
In the phone interview Tuesday, McLeroy also denied going to Guymon’s client’s home. The report indicates that McLeroy told police that he and Guymon were driving around the corner to “smoke a joint,” and he denied any involvement in a solicitation to commit murder plot. He also told police he did not want to “speak about him and Guymon’s conversation.”
In total, the report identifies three other women Guymon is accused of encouraging to engage in prostitution. Guymon had represented at least two of the women in prostitution-related cases, according to the report.
Police also allege he took some women onto his boat at Lake Mead and encouraged the women to perform sexual acts.
‘I think everyone’s a bit shocked’
Several defense attorneys expressed dismay Tuesday over the allegations.
Attorney Jess Marchese told the Review-Journal that he had read Guymon’s arrest report, and he was struck by the extent to which he talked to authorities.
Marchese said he tells attorneys to keep a line between personal and business relationships, and it seemed like the line was blurred in Guymon’s case. He also said it appeared Guymon seemed to have less energy than he previously did.
Longtime attorney Tom Pitaro had represented Margaret Rudin — a high-profile defendant whom Guymon prosecuted when he was at the district attorney’s office.
“I think everyone’s a bit shocked at the allegations,” Pitaro said. “It’s not every day that these charges get leveled against people, let alone attorneys.”
Defense attorney Todd Leventhal said he has known Guymon for 25 years and described him as a “quiet guy” who is an effective, active attorney.
Leventhal said that based on a description of the allegations, he was skeptical prosecutors would be able to prove that Guymon conspired to commit murder.
“Sometimes people talk, and it seems like there’s a lot of talking going on there,” Leventhal said. “I can’t imagine him putting any of that into action.”
Contact Katelyn Newberg at knewberg@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0240.