A federal grand jury has indicted a Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) officer accused of stealing approximately $164,000 from three Southern Nevada casinos.
Las Vegas Officer Goes on Crime Spree
Caleb Mitchell Rogers, 33, appeared in federal court after indictment on March 22, 2022, on three charges of interference with commerce by robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. Per the court records, he pleaded not guilty to the federal charges.
The allegations in the indictment report that on November 12, 2021, Rogers stole nearly $73,810 from the Red Rock Resort and Casino. He approached the cashier of the casino, demanded money, and then escaped. On January 6, 2022, the LVMPD officer robbed $11,500 from the Aliante Casino Hotel Spa again by demanding money from the cashier. Per the affidavit, the third robbery occurred on February 27, 2022, at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino when Rogers entered the casino and approached two employees who worked at the sportsbook area and threatened them with a gun saying, “Get away from the money. I’ve got a gun; I’ll shoot you!”
Robberies with a Department Weapon
The Metro Police officer pushed one of the employees backward, started grabbing at the money, and put them in a bag in his jacket. The employee, who fell on the floor – a woman over 60 years old – pulled the robbery alarm. When Rogers noticed her, he ran away with nearly $78,632. A casino security officer started chasing Rogers and tackled him.
The LVMPD officer threatened to shoot the security officer with a silver revolver, but the guard managed to disarm and detain him until Metro police officers came and arrested him. When asked for his identity, Rogers stated that he was an officer with the Metro police department and provided his police identification number. In addition, per the complaint, the police officers seized the firearm Rogers was using during the robbery. When they checked the gun’s serial number, they found out that it belonged to the Las Vegas police department.
Penalty from 20 Years to Life Imprisonment
The FBI and the LVMPD investigated the case. A jury trial was scheduled by US Magistrate Judge Brenda Weksler to take place on May 23, 2022. If found guilty, the penalty for each charge of interference with commerce by robbery is up to 20 years of imprisonment and life in prison for brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
Initially, Rogers was charged with burglary and robbery, but the legal action was dismissed, as per court records. In March 2022, Justice of the Peace Harmony Letizia set bail at $250,000 and issued an order, according to which Rogers should be under high-level electronic monitoring if he posts bail. Rogers’ federal public defenders declined to comment on the case.
Rogers has worked as an active-duty officer at LVMPD since 2015. He was placed on unpaid leave after his arrest in February.