Detective allegedly had sex with teen

Keith Paul

Thursday, Dec. 7, 2000 | 11:12 a.m.

The Metro Police Department has sent to local and federal prosecutors its investigation of allegations that a narcotics detective had a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old boy, officials told the Sun this morning.

Detective Vinten Hartung, 42, has been on administrative leave with pay since Nov. 17 after the father of the boy complained to Metro officials about the relationship.

Police asked the Clark County District Attorney's Office to consider pressing a charge of furnishing alcohol to minors and the U.S. Attorney's Office to determine if the detective will face the charge of using the Internet to persuade or influence a minor for illegal sexual activity, Metro Deputy Chief Ray Flynn said this morning.

Metro's sex crime lieutenant conducted the investigation of the sexual activity between Hartung and the teen. Police believe Hartung met the teen over an America Online Internet chat room named "m for m" -- men for men, Flynn said.

The 16-year-old boy later joined a baseball team coached by Hartung. The team was not affiliated with any school.

"The kid was a member of his team, but he joined the team after they met," Flynn said.

Hartung, an officer for 11 years with Metro, is accused of providing alcohol to the 16-year-old boy and other members of the team on several occasions. He is also accused of providing alcohol to the 16-year-old boy when he was alone with the teen. Hartung is believed to have had a relationship with the boy lasting about five months, Flynn said.

Hartung could not be reached for comment this morning.

The teen's father filed a complaint with Metro officials Nov. 13, saying Hartung was engaging in a sexual relationship with his son. The investigation determined Hartung and the boy had a sexual relationship and it was consensual, Flynn said.

In Nevada the age of consent is 16, meaning that a person of that age can agree to have a sexual relationship with someone older.

However, Nevada law does prohibit soliciting minors to engage in acts constituting a crime against nature -- or sodomy -- but the police didn't ask prosecutors to review the case under that statute.

"It is a felony, but that law tends to single out homosexuals," Flynn said.

District Attorney Stewart Bell said his office has prosecuted others under this law, but could not say whether it would apply in this case, because he had not seen the report. Even if a minor gives consent, the law can apply, Bell said.

Flynn said the department would have filed the case with prosecutors regardless of sex of the victim.

"If it had been a 42-year-old male officer engaging in a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old girl, we would have done the same thing," he said.

Now that the criminal investigation has been completed, the internal investigation into Hartung's actions will begin. The internal investigation will determine if any of the department's policies have been violated.

Hartung could face discipline up to being fired.

Metro's department manual defines misconduct as not only on-duty behavior, but also actions off duty, "tending to bring the department into public discredit which tends to affect the employee's ability to perform his duties efficiently."