Las Vegas police officer pleads not guilty in sex assault case
A Las Vegas police officer pleaded not guilty Wednesday to dozens of sexual assault and kidnapping charges involving a child.
Bret Theil, 38, was arrested last week after a standoff near Corn Creek and is being held at the Clark County Detention Center.
He faces six counts of first-degree kidnapping, five counts of lewdness with a child under 14, six counts of sexual assault with a minor under 14, four counts of sexual assault with a minor under 16, four counts of sexual assault, and two counts of child abuse, neglect or endangerment. The felony charges carry possible sentences of life in prison.
Prosecutors have declined to provide further details about the crimes, which occurred in North Las Vegas, but said in court that the victim was threatened via email after authorities started investigating the case.
District Judge Stefany Miley set an April trial date.
According to the indictment, the crimes occurred between August 2005 and January 2017.
Theil, who has been on the force since August 1998 and is currently assigned to the traffic bureau, earned about $150,000 in 2016, according to a Metropolitan Police Department spokeswoman and the most recent figures available on TransparentNevada.com. Theil is expected to be relieved of duty without pay, the spokeswoman said.
Clay Plummer, an attorney for Theil, declined to comment after Wednesday’s court hearing.
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