By Jennifer Edwards
The Cincinnati Enquirer

COLUMBUS - The unemployed gambler who tipped police that suspected highway shooter Charles McCoy Jr. was in Las Vegas had to call police about a dozen times before officers arrived and arrested McCoy.

Charles McCoy, Jr., the man accused of being the Ohio highway sniper, is led into court for an extradition hearing at the Clark County Courthouse in Las Vegas Friday. (AP photo)

Dispatch tape transcripts released Friday by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department show Malsom first called 911 about 11:24 p.m. Tuesday and was transferred to a non-emergency police line. But Malsom persisted and finally persevered: He repeatedly called police and federal authorities in Ohio and Nevada as he kept an eye on McCoy and gathered potential evidence. Authorities arrested McCoy about 2:45 a.m. Wednesday.

James Turgal, spokesman for the FBI's Cincinnati office, confirmed that Malsom called his office but denied authorities dismissed the call: "When he called here, we put him in contact with our folks in Las Vegas."

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Officer Jose Montoya said dispatchers did not violate that department's polices.

"On wanted-suspect calls, we have a strict policy on those because we have to confirm without a shadow of a doubt the person is wanted," he said. "We just can't go arrest them. That violates their civil rights."

Malsom told USA Today that authorities took him seriously; but he was one of dozens of tipsters from across the country who were calling.

McCoy, 28, who waived extradition in Las Vegas on Friday, is expected to return today to Columbus, the city he is accused of terrorizing for months.

Franklin County Sheriff Jim Karnes, citing security reasons, declined Friday to say when McCoy would arrive.

"It will bring closure," he said of McCoy's return. "Closure is good for everybody. The case is over with."

McCoy is scheduled to appear Monday at 1:30 p.m. in Franklin County Municipal Court. He faces a felonious assault charge in connection with a shooting into an occupied Columbus house Dec. 15. No one was injured.

His attorney, Andrew Haney, will not ask for bond for his client.

McCoy likely will face additional charges related to the 24 interstate shootings since May around the Columbus area, including the one that killed Gail Knisley, 62, of Washington Court House, on Nov. 25.

Those charges probably won't be added until the case goes before a grand jury, about 10 days after he appears in court, Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O'Brien has said.

Early Friday, McCoy appeared in a Las Vegas courtroom in a blue jail jumpsuit with shackles on his wrists. During the brief hearing, he answered yes to a series of questions from Las Vegas Justice Court Judge Douglas Smith, including whether he understood the proceedings. He then waived extradition, clearing the way for an immediate return to Columbus.

The judge sharply addressed McCoy before ordering him held on no bond while he remains in Nevada.

"You held a community at bay and terrorized the people of the state," the judge told him.

In a separate interview Friday, the judge said he had been prepared to order McCoy held on $10 million cash bond if he hadn't waived extradition. That would have been the highest bond issued so far in the country, the judge said.

McCoy's aunt, Rosanna Osborne, 45, said Friday that McCoy's father was the first relative to contact Ohio authorities. Charles McCoy Sr., called police Friday and turned over four guns he had taken from his son about a month ago. The last shooting tied to the sniper was Feb. 14.

Tests determined that one of the guns, a 9mm Beretta, was the weapon used in at least nine of the shootings, including the one that killed Knisley, authorities said.

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E-mail jedwards@enquirer.com