Pahrump man arrested on bribery after asking deputy to ‘look the other way’ as he grew illegal pot
A man was arrested in Nye County on Wednesday after trying to pay a Nye County Sheriff’s Office deputy to “look the other way” while he illegally grew marijuana in Amargosa Valley.
According to the Nye County Sheriff’s Office, Robert Behrens Jr., 51, of Pahrump, walked into a police station about 5 p.m. Wednesday and asked for a sergeant by name. The summoned sergeant then met with Behrens in the lobby.
During a conversation in the lobby, Behrens told the sergeant he heard from an inmate Behrens was previously incarcerated with that the sergeant was “shady” and wanted to know whether the sergeant would “look the other way” while he grew marijuana illegally in Amargosa Valley.
The sergeant then summoned an undercover detective, who spoke with Behrens outside of the police station. During that conversation, Behrens offered the undercover detective $30,000 to ensure Behrens did not get arrested in connection with growing his marijuana illegally.
After the conversation ended, Behrens was arrested and booked in the Nye County Detention Center on $25,000 bail.
He faces two charges of bribery of a public officer and one charge of burglary, which requires someone to enter a building with the intent to commit a felony. Bribing a public officer is a felony.
Contact Rachel Crosby at rcrosby@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5290. Follow @rachelacrosby on Twitter.
