A Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) officer who is reported to have stolen $164,000 in three Southern Nevada commercial casinos has been indicted by a federal grand jury.
A Vegas Metro Officer Is on a Crime Spree
Caleb Mitchell Rogers, aged 33, was taken to a federal court on March 22, 2022, after being indicted on three charges. He is accused of interfering with commerce by robbery and has one charge of brandishing a loaded firearm in a crime of violence. Also, court records state that the officer didn't plead guilty to the federal charges.
The indictment report's allegations state that Rogers stole almost $73,810 from the Red Rock Resort and Casino on November 12, 2021. He approached the casino's cashier, demanded money, and later escaped.
Rogers stole $11,500 in the Aliante Casino Hotel Spa by demanding the cashier give him money on January 6, 2022. The affidavit explains that the officer did the third robbery on February 7, 2022, in the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino.
He visited the casino, approached two workers at its bookmaking area, and used a gun to threaten them, claiming that he had a gun and would shoot them if they didn't move away from the money.
The Officer Used a Department Weapon in the Robberies
The police officer pushed one casino employee backward, grabbed the money, and put it in a tiny bag inside his jacket. The worker, a woman who is more than 60 years old, fell on the floor and later triggered the robbery alarm.
Rogers ran away with almost $78,632 when he noticed the employee. But a casino security personnel saw him, chased, and tackled the officer.
Yet, the police officer threatened the casino's security guard and claimed that he would use a silver revolver to shoot him. Even so, the guard disarmed Rogers and detained him for a while, awaiting the Metropolitan police officers to arrest him.
Many people asked Rogers for his identity. He said that he is a police officer with a valid police identification number, and he works in the Metropolitan police department.
The complaint states that, in addition, other Metro police officers took the weapon that Rogers used in the robbery. They ascertained its serial number and discovered that it was from the Las Vegas police department.
Roger's Likely Penalty
The LVMPD and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigated Roger's case. U.S. Magistrate Judge Brenda Weksler scheduled a trial jury to occur on May 23, 2022. If it finds the police officer guilty, every charge of interference with commerce through robbery has a penalty of up to 20 years of imprisonment.
Also, Rogers can spend the rest of his life in prison for flaunting a firearm in a crime of violence. He initially faced robbery and burglary charges. But, the legal action is dismissed according to court records.
Harmony Letizia, Justice of the Peace, issued an order and set the officer's bail at $250,000. It explains that Rogers has to be closely monitored using a high-level electronic gadget once he posts bail.
His federal public defenders failed to comment on his case. Rogers has been an active-duty LVMPD officer for seven years and is currently on unpaid leave since he was arrested in February.
