Accused cop resigns; charges still possible

Keith Paul

Friday, Jan. 19, 2001 | 11:10 a.m.

A Metro Police narcotics detective relieved of duty after officials found he had a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old boy quit the department effective today.

Detective Vinten Hartung, 42, sent a resignation letter to Sheriff Jerry Keller saying he resigned as of today. Keller received the letter Wednesday, Undersheriff Richard Winget said.

Hartung, who was with Metro for about 11 years, still faces the possibility of a misdemeanor charge of furnishing alcohol to a minor.

"His resignation has no effect on the criminal investigation," said Deputy Chief Ray Flynn, head of Metro's investigative services division. "We intend to submit (a misdemeanor charge) for prosecution."

Detectives are still interviewing teenagers Hartung coached on a baseball team and their parents before the criminal case is sent to the Clark County district attorney's office, Flynn said.

Hartung, however, no longer faces any possible punishment from an internal investigation into conduct unbecoming an officer and insubordination.

"We will still complete the internal investigation and put the results into his personnel file," Winget said. "If he applies for another law enforcement job, the outcome of the investigation will be part of the information made available" to the other agency.

Metro officials said if an internal investigation sustained the department charges, Hartung could have faced being fired.

Earlier this month federal and county prosecutors decided not to press felony sex crime charges against Hartung, saying they concluded they would not be able to prove the case in court.

A Metro investigation started after the boy's father in November complained to police about Hartung's relationship with the teen. Hartung has been on paid administrative leave since the investigation began.

Investigators determined there was a sexual relationship between the boy and Hartung and it was consensual. Police believe the two met over the Internet in an America Online chat room. The age of consent in Nevada is 16.

The boy later joined a baseball team coached by Hartung. The relationship is believed to have lasted about five months.

Hartung had been ordered several times by Metro officials to stay away from the teen since November.

Hartung was served with a temporary restraining order early this month to stay away from the boy after the boy's family filed a police report alleging the detective came to their home and called several times on Christmas.

At 8:30 p.m. on Christmas the boy "received a call from (Hartung) and told (the boy) not to hang up. (The boy) did hang up on Hartung," according to the police report.

Later a pile of items was noticed in the front yard. About 10:15 p.m. Hartung called again, the report said.

"Hartung stated to (the boy), 'All he wanted to do was drop off the stuff by your bedroom window, and I will never talk to you again,' " according to the report.

The items in the front yard had been moved near the teen's bedroom. The police impounded the items described as "letters and paperwork."