Charges dropped against man jailed for impersonating a cop, coercing sex from prostitutes

The Clark County District Attorney has dropped all charges against a man arrested in August for allegedly impersonating a police officer in order to coerce sex from prostitutes.

Jesus Carvajal faced three counts of kidnapping, three counts of false impersonation of a public officer, one count each of sexual assault, sexual assault with a deadly weapon, and attempted sexual assault with a deadly weapon.

Carvajal was booked into the Clark County Detention Center on August 9.

The state filed a motion to dismiss the case on October 22. Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Eric Goodman granted the motion the same day.

District Attorney Steve Wolfson has not responded to inquiries from the Current as to why he dropped the charges.

“They had the wrong guy in custody,” private investigator Gavin Vesp told the Current.  “We feel we had compelling evidence to that nature. I don’t know how much the state looked at the evidence we had, you know.  The police officers seemed to put it together rapidly.”

Vesp worked on the case with Carvajal’s defense attorney, Lance J. Hendron.

Carvajal, reached via Facebook, referred the Current to Hendron, who has not returned our calls.

A spokesman for the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department was unaware charges had been dismissed against Carvajal.

In August, Metro issued a news release stating that beginning in late June, detectives from the Gang/Vice Bureau “received four reports of a male impersonating a police officer… During the course of this investigation, detectives identified 34-year-old Jesus Carvajal as the suspect in these events.”

“The investigation revealed, Carvajal would approach the victims near downtown Las Vegas to participate in sexual acts. If a female got into his vehicle or discussed a price for a sexual act, he would identify himself as an undercover officer. The suspect would then threaten the victims with arrest if they did not perform the sexual acts he requested. Carvajal was described as having a badge, a gun, handcuffs, a knife and a radio,” the news release said.

The FBI has conducted a multi-year investigation that involves allegations of vice detectives engaging in sex with prostitutes.  No local indictments have been issued.