Former cop indicted on drug charges

Erica D. Johnson

Monday, April 28, 2003 | 9:35 a.m.

A former North Las Vegas police officer who pleaded guilty two years ago to coercion was indicted Friday on multiple drug charges.

The indictment, unsealed before District Judge Valerie Adair, charges William Brooks with three counts of drug trafficking, one count of possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell and one firearms charge.

The drugs Brooks is accused of possessing include cocaine, Ecstasy and marijuana, Chief Deputy District Attorney Christopher Laurent said.

"There is no indication that he was (trafficking drugs) as a police officer," he said.

Though Brooks, 45, allegedly told police he was holding some of the drugs for an NBA player, Laurent said, prosecutors have not confirmed that, and Brooks did not mention any names.

Brooks is being held at the Clark County Detention Center with bail set at $300,000. He will be arraigned April 30 before District Judge Michael Cherry.

Brooks' attorney, Robert Lucherini, said he had not yet had the opportunity to look into the allegations against his client.

"This is unfortunate," he said. "I'm not aware of all the facts the district attorney presented. But clearly we've got some work to do."

If Brooks posts bail, prosecutors will hold a source hearing to ensure the bail money wasn't obtained illegally, Laurent said.

This is not Brooks' first run-in with the law. In 2001 he pleaded guilty to coercion charges for accosting 36-year-old Lynn Malloy in the parking lot of a Home Depot on Rainbow Boulevard.

That felony charge will prevent Brooks from ever working as a police officer again.

Brooks was on probation for the coercion charges when the drug offenses occurred, Laurent said.

He will appear before District Judge John McGroarty on probation violation charges May 6.

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