LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A suspended Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department sergeant accused of orchestrating fake arrests on the Las Vegas Strip and possessing child pornography has been released from jail, records show.

Officers arrested Sgt. Kevin Menon, 42, Wednesday on child pornography-related charges as he was walking into the Regional Justice Center for his initial arraignment on 13 charges he faces in an alleged scheme involving arrests on the Las Vegas Strip. 

On Thursday, Las Vegas Justice Court Judge Nadia Wood set Menon’s bail at $100,000 on the two child pornography charges. Wood also required high-level electronic monitoring as a condition of his release. 

Detectives said they found numerous images of nude prepubescent girls on laptops Menon had access to, according to an arrest report obtained by the 8 News Now Investigators. Searches for the child sexual abuse material, also known as CSAM, included terms like “kiddie pool,” and software was found on the laptops to hide the searches and content, prosecutors said.

Clark County Chief Deputy District Attorney Nicholas Portz said approximately 200 images were found, which included a combination of CSAM, age difficult images, meaning the subjects appear to be underage, but their age could not be confirmed, and child erotica, described as images of children clothed or partially clothed.

Attorneys reviewed the evidence in the judge’s chambers before it was placed under seal.

Menon’s defense attorney, Dominic Gentile, conceded in court that two images did contain hardcore pornography and included images of two girls who appeared to be underage.

Prosecutors argued for a $250,000 bail.

Gentile argued for a $10,000 bail and insisted he was not a flight risk.

Gentile said he was in possession of Menon’s passport and weapons.

In his original case, Metro police arrested Menon on Friday, Aug. 30, at headquarters. The 8 News Now Investigators first reported Menon’s arrest. Menon was assigned to the department’s Tourist Safety Division.

Investigators within the department believe Menon orchestrated fake arrests by instigating situations with the public without probable cause, documents said. In one case, Menon ordered the search of a car without any reason, police said. In another, the sergeant, who often worked in a plain clothes capacity, intentionally collided with a person on a pedestrian bridge, leading to their arrest, police investigators allege.

Body camera video shows that most of the individuals targeted were Black men.

After his arrest, the department placed Menon on leave with pay and his police powers were suspended pending an investigation. The department has since stopped paying him.

Menon was not placed with other inmates in the courtroom. He was in protective custody because he is an officer, the 8 News Now Investigators have learned.

Menon’s next court date for the child pornography case is scheduled for Monday. An arraignment in the first case is scheduled for Nov. 6.

To reach investigative reporter Vanessa Murphy, email vmurphy@8newsnow.com.



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