crime:

Report: Officer arrested for fraud bought gas for personal truck

Thursday, July 23, 2009 | 3:09 p.m.

Benjamin Miles Cordova

New details emerged Thursday from an arrest report of 39-year-old Benjamin Miles Cordova, a North Las Vegas police officer who was arrested Tuesday on fraud charges for allegedly purchasing fuel for his personal vehicle on a department credit card.

Cordova had been videotaped three separate times fueling his blue Chevrolet Colorado four-door pickup truck using another officer's credit card at two gas stations in Henderson and North Las Vegas, the arrest report indicated.

Cordova was arrested about 9:30 a.m. Tuesday and was booked into the North Las Vegas Detention Center. He has been placed on paid administrative leave, per department policy, until the investigation is completed.

Cordova was booked on three counts of credit card fraud and three counts of receiving property obtained by unlawful use of a credit card. All counts are felonies.

Cordova was arrested after a week-long investigation conducted by North Las Vegas Police.

During a videotaped interview with police, Cordova confessed to using the department's gas card at the two gas stations.

Another officer discovered that a credit card was missing from a patrol car and notified his superiors. In two of the three videotapes, other North Las Vegas officers recognized Cordova filling up his pickup truck with gas paid for using the department's credit card.

During the initial investigation, police also learned that Cordova's driver's license had expired on Aug. 13, 2007, but he had been driving his own and the department's vehicle since then.

From July 20, 2008 until April 23, 2009, investigators found 14 suspicious purchases on Cordova's department credit card. His card had been used once, while 13 other purchases were made while his PIN number was used on other credit cards in patrol cars he was not driving.

Cordova stopped using his own department-issued credit card on April 23. He began to use another officer's PIN on May 6, police said. The amount of fuel bought for Cordova's pickup truck ranged from $46.60 to $50.53.

Discussion: 9 comments so far…

By steve7952

7/23/09 at 4:18 p.m.

Suggest removal

When these dirtballs are placed on "paid administrative leave" does that mean a paid vacation? Do they reimburse the City if convicted for that "Payed leave"?
By unclegig

7/23/09 at 5:59 p.m.

Suggest removal

Wow! First it's the NLV fireman now it is a NLV police officer. Strike 2 for NLV but I am proud of the other officers arresting their fellow officer. What is he thinking? Did he honestly think that he can get away with all the security cameras and using fellow officer's PIN number? Human Resources should check their applicant's IQ before hiring them.
By afveteran

7/23/09 at 8:12 p.m.

Suggest removal

No amount of screening can reveal a lack of character and bad apple intentions. This is probably a good cop gone bad after making bad personal financial decisions. I suspect this guy was living above and beyond his salary. Stuff happens.
By dipstick

7/24/09 at 6:11 a.m.

Suggest removal

stuff happens? you sound like rumsfeld during the iraqi war; what a great job he did. they threw him out of office because "stuff happens".
By Babyboomer

7/24/09 at 5:13 p.m.

Suggest removal

As a former Federal Employee...and having run the credit card program for one of their agencies I can personally tell you "I'm not surprised".Tracking expenses for each card on a "daily" basis was a big undertaking. Suspending a card on an employee only required a phone call and the card was stopped within moments. BUT !! it requires someone to monitor these items..or perhaps that person was also involved?...who knows. I say go to the core of the problem and find the character who allowed him to charge all these items and deal with him/her as well.
By Wolfdog

7/25/09 at 6:52 a.m.

Suggest removal

LVMPD, are you paying attention?
By afveteran

7/27/09 at 6:08 p.m.

Suggest removal

I wish that negative comments make sense, at the very least.
By calicoedcat

7/31/09 at 8:16 p.m.

Suggest removal

In Texas a friend of mine found out her husband had a girlfriend when all three of them filled up their cars on the same day and the company credit card was used for all three transactions. Her husband lost his job, his wife, his kids, his house - best thing was, no job - no girlfriend - he lost her too.
By sigtwenty

8/5/09 at 11:58 a.m.

Suggest removal

70K a year and he needed to steal small stuff? moron