Three on HOA boards ousted

Homeowners at two valley communities linked to a federal corruption probe ousted members of their homeowners association boards Wednesday.

At the Park Avenue condominiums on the far south end of Las Vegas Boulevard, homeowners recalled two people: Ed Lugo and former Las Vegas police Capt. Frank Sutton.

At the Sunset Cliffs condominiums in the far southwest valley, homeowners didn't re-elect board member Darryl Scott Nichols to another term.

Nichols also serves on the board of the Chateau Versailles condominiums, state records show.

All three people had been named in a federal search warrant seeking documentation, correspondence and notes as part of an investigation. Being named in the warrant does not mean that individuals are, or were, involved in wrongdoing.

The FBI, with the assistance of Las Vegas police, are conducting what a law enforcement source has described as an investigation into whether individuals on homeowners association boards directed business stemming from construction defect lawsuits to select companies.

Lugo didn't return calls seeking comment. Sutton could not be reached for comment.

Nichols declined to comment after the results of the Sunset Cliffs election were announced.

A member of the Metropolitan Police Department and an agent from the Federal Bureau of Investigation were present at both meetings and took the ballots from both associations after the election results were announced.

Sunset Cliffs and Park Avenue were among five other condominium associations that were named in the warrant.

At Park Avenue, homeowners had suspected that fraudulent elections had taken place earlier in the year.

Election ballots that should have been mailed from owners living in different places in California all were mailed from the same place, current board President Barbara Soto said.

"Everything was mailed from the same post office in Long Beach at the same time," she said.

At Sunset Cliffs, owners have complained that board members met rarely, were unresponsive and that information about the association's finances were rarely disclosed.

Brandon Hintz, a homeowner who defeated Nichols for a seat on the Sunset Cliffs board, said: "I think we've taken a step in the right direction."

Contact reporter Lawrence Mower at lmower@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0440.