Kidnapping added to charges against cop

Keith Paul

Tuesday, March 14, 2000 | 10:46 a.m.

Prosecutors filed more serious charges Monday against a North Las Vegas Police detective accused of accosting a woman, charging him with first-degree kidnapping -- a felony punishable by up to life in prison.

Detective William Brooks was charged Feb. 20 with attempted kidnapping, assault with a deadly weapon and battery following an incident in the parking lot of a Home Depot on Rainbow Boulevard near Alta Drive.

Brooks is accused of grabbing a woman and forcing her into her car at gunpoint in an attempt to collect a $30,000 debt.

But Monday Deputy Clark County District Attorney Bill Koot amended those charges to first-degree kidnapping, burglary, attempted robbery, coercion and attempted extortionate collection of a debt, all with a deadly weapon.

"I just filed charges the facts justified," Koot said.

First-degree kidnapping in which the victim does not suffer severe injuries is punishable by life in prison with the possibility of parole after five years or 15 years in prison with the possibility of parole after five years, according to state law.

Brooks' attorney, Robert Lucherini, could not be reached this morning for comment.

Brooks, 42, was released from the Clark County Detention Center a couple of days after his arrest on $53,000 bail and has since referred questions to Lucherini.

During an interview while in the jail, Brooks said he went to the parking lot that Sunday morning to talk with the wife of a man who owed someone $30,000. Brooks said he was going to be paid $10,000 for helping collect the debt. But he admitted he went up to the wrong woman. He denied he pulled out his gun on the 36-year-old victim.

The woman told police that Brooks, who was off duty and not in uniform, pointed a gun at her and said "Shut up or I'll kill you," Metro Police Deputy Chief Ray Flynn said.

Since Metro robbery detectives questioned Brooks the night of the incident, they have been trying to determine for whom Brooks was working when he went to the parking lot. Brooks has refused to say.

He did say during the interview in jail that he could change his mind if he were facing "serious time" in prison.

Metro detectives continued searching for clues to the identity of Brooks' employer.

"It's important to find out the motivation," Flynn said. "Not coming forward with the names leaves the possibility of working for criminals or criminal enterprises."

As in other criminal cases, there may be some plea negotiations between the attorneys, but Koot said he has no plans to require Brooks to name whom he was working for as part of any potential deal.