Brown denies wrongdoing in chemical firm

By Andy Holtmann
LAS VEGAS SUN

NORTH LAS VEGAS City Councilwoman Paula Brown said
she is tired of the negative publicity she and her
husband have been receiving.

The Browns have been the subject of a Metro Police
investigation in recent weeks after detectives
discovered that the federal Drug Enforcement Agency had
been working with them, allegedly tracking illegal drug
manufacturers. Two chemical companies owned by the
Browns, L.K. Supply and J.B. Chemical, became the focus
of the probe into whether chemicals used in making
methamphetamine were sold unlawfully.

On Tuesday, Metro served search warrants at the Browns'
home, businesses and bank accounts. Police will not
comment as to exactly what, if anything, was
confiscated, but sources say that paperwork and
financial records were looked at. Neither of the Browns
has been charged with a crime.

"Metro has already searched everything once," Paula
Brown said before Wednesday night's City Council
meeting. "Our question is, what are they looking for,
what else do they want?"

Brown said while she is confident she and her husband
have done nothing wrong, she feels as though they have
already been made out by the media and certain
individuals as an enemy of the people. She said claims
made to the media that she and her husband were selling
the drug on the streets and selling the chemicals to
known drug abusers are false.

"The one thing the public is missing is the truth," she
said. "We have already been tried and convicted in the
press, and that hurts us."

Paula Brown said they started their business 20 years
ago and have never had any problems with law
enforcement. Their operations are fully licensed and
they make nearly $1.7 million per year, selling
chemicals to industries, she said.

Norman Kaye, who ran unsuccessfully against Brown for
City Council, has spearheaded a recall campaign. Two
weeks ago, Kaye blasted Brown at a council meeting,
calling for her resignation. He claims to have
supporters helping with his recall efforts.

Brown said she had "absolutely no intentions of
resigning" and maintained that she and her husband have
done nothing wrong.

North Las Vegas resident Diana Figgis said Kaye does not
know what he is talking about and should wait for the
facts to be revealed.

"I have severe doubts about where he gets his
information from," she said. "I think he should let
Metro do its own investigation and not pretend like he
is a detective, jury, judge and executioner. If Brown
did something wrong, why hasn't she been arrested?"

Another resident, Martin Lang, said he feels the only
reason Metro was still conducting an investigation is
because they were embarrassed.

"Metro obviously didn't know about the BrownDEA
connection, so they decided to investigate themselves,"
Lang said. "When they didn't find anything the first
time, they did it again, hoping to find something to
avoid looking like the bad guys, and brag about the
wonderful job they're doing."

Brown said she and her husband have been cooperating
fully with authorities. She could not discuss specifics
in the case and referred all questions to her lawyer,
who could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

Councilwoman Stephanie Smith said she supports Brown and
is tired of the negative publicity.

"You are innocent until proven guilty in this country,"
she said. "Why, if this is such a big issue, are only
one or two people calling for her to resign? Why have no
charges been filed? The reason, there is no cause due to
the fact she has done nothing wrong."