Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Groesbeck plea bargain expected

A plea bargain is expected to be reached in the sexual misconduct and police assault allegations against former Henderson Mayor Bob Groesbeck, a source in the district attorney's office said this morning.

The agreement could be made by Friday, if not sooner, the source said.

It was unclear this morning what a plea bargain might entail, whether it could result in the eventual dropping of charges if certain actions are taken by Groesbeck, who is general counsel for Republic Silver State Disposal Inc.

Groesbeck's attorney, John Moran Jr., could not be reached for comment this morning.

Regardless of whether a plea agreement is made, criminal charges were expected to be filed by noon today -- the issue is what those charges will be and if the charges will be part of any plea agreement.

"We will file charges in both incidents by noon Thursday," District Attorney Stewart Bell said late Wednesday. "But we are still deciding which statutes the violations fall under."

Groesbeck is accused of groping the breasts of a woman at an exclusive club at the Mandalay Bay hotel-casino last Friday and of assaulting a police officer as he was being arrested.

Drug-related charges will not be among allegations, although an investigating officer reported Groesbeck may have been under the influence of a controlled substance when the incident occurred at the House of Blues Foundation on the 47th floor of the Mandalay Bay resort around 9 p.m. Friday.

Metro Police Sgt. Clark Paris said in his report that Groesbeck appeared to be under the influence of drugs as he was interviewed by police in an office of the resort's security force.

Groesbeck, however, refused to take a blood or urine test and arresting officers did not get a warrant that would have required one or both of the tests. As a result, drug charges will not be filed by prosecutors.

Metro Police spokesman Lt. Rick Alba said drug laws differ when they are applied to motorists and when they are applied to others.

A person facing felony DUI charges must submit to the tests but others may refuse, Alba said.

If the arresting officer wants to pursue the drug charge of someone who is not a motorist, then it is necessary to get a warrant from a district judge ordering drug tests.

Bell said it is not unusual for an officer to decide against going to the trouble of getting a warrant, especially if the arrest is late at night.

One former member of the district attorney's office said it would have been more unusual if the officer had sought a warrant in the Groesbeck case, addressing critics who felt Groesbeck was receiving preferential treatment.

Bell said, "What happens is that if a person is suspected of being under the influence, the person will be asked if he will voluntarily allow the test to be given. Oftentimes they say yes. Sometimes they say no. That is their right."

If they say no, then police must find a judge to sign a search warrant to force the test. During the day that is relatively simple, but at night it sometimes is difficult to find a judge.

"Sometimes, the police don't want to get a judge up in the middle of the night to ask for the warrant," Bell said.

He said no test was given in this case, therefore drug use is not an issue.

"It happens all the time," he said.

Bell said his office, on Tuesday afternoon, received a videotape of Groesbeck being interviewed by Metro Police officers at Mandalay Bay Friday night.

"We reviewed it to be absolutely certain about what occurred. We still have a little bit of research to do," Bell said.

Groesbeck, mayor of Henderson from 1993-1997, was arrested late Friday after a woman claimed he fondled her breasts and later dropped his pants in front of her.

After he was taken into police custody and was being interviewed in a room of the resort's security department, Groesbeck is reported to have boasted of his friendship with such powerful community figures as Metro Sheriff Jerry Keller and Las Vegas City Councilman Mike McDonald.

He also is said to have made many vulgar statements and wrestled with Metro Police Sgt. Clark Paris, getting him in a headlock and holding him until he was subdued by other officers.

McDonald said he is giving Groesbeck the benefit of any doubt at this point.

In an interview Wednesday night on POV Vegas on Las Vegas 1, McDonald described the ex-mayor as "a wonderful individual."

McDonald is giving Groesbeck the benefit of any doubt at this point in the process.

"Bob Groesbeck needs to tell his side of the story," McDonald said during the television interview.

McDonald, a former Metro Police officer, said, "One thing I learned in police work is that there are two sides."

In early reports of the groping incident, it was said that McDonald was in the private club at the time it occurred. McDonald said he arrived 30 minutes after Groesbeck was arrested.

"I was caught in the middle," McDonald said. "I had nothing to do with this."

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