Former Fernley resident sentenced to prison on lewdness charge

Robert Perea, The Fernley Reporter

A former Fernley resident was sentenced to up to four years in prison on a lewdness charge.

Michael Benjamin Knabe was sentenced Feb. 3 in Third Judicial District Court by Judge John Schlegelmilch to a term of 19 to 48 months in prison on a charge of open and gross lewdness, a Class D felony. Knabe must also register as a sex offender upon his release.

He was originally charged with lewdness with a child under the age of 14 stemming from an incident in April, 2018. The Lyon County District Attorney’s Office charged that Knabe committed a lewd or lascivious act that did not constitute sexual assault.

He pleaded guilty to the lesser charge on Oct. 21.