Video sought in ex-Las Vegas police officer’s child prostitution case
A judge on Monday set a preliminary hearing for a retired Las Vegas police officer charged with soliciting a child for prostitution.
Kirk Reed Hooten, 51, free on $10,000 bond, did not appear in court for a brief hearing but was represented by his attorney, David Chesnoff.
Hooten’s arrest last week stemmed from “a recent incident involving a teenage girl in the valley,” according to Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo, who released a statement Friday describing Hooten as a longtime friend.
In court, Chesnoff asked prosecutors to turn over all video surveillance and audio recordings surrounding Hooten’s arrest.
The case “should be decided on the facts, not the accusations,” Chesnoff said after the hearing. “People should not rush to judgment.”
Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Diana Sullivan set a preliminary hearing, where the judge decides whether prosecutors have enough evidence to present the case to a jury, for January.
Metro detectives became aware of the alleged crime after a social media post on Nov. 15 about the incident.
Further details surrounding Hooten’s arrest have not been released. Metro’s public records division has declined an open records request from the Las Vegas Review-Journal for a copy of Hooten’s arrest report, citing an open investigation, although the department in the past has released arrest reports for suspects not affiliated with Metro.
Hooten joined Metro in February 1994 and retired in April, according to department records. His assignment at the time of his retirement has not been released.
His wife, Cheryl Hooten, is assigned to Metro’s Internet Crimes Against Children task force, a division of the department’s sex crimes bureau. The task force investigates the manufacturing, distribution or possession of child pornography; the luring of children with technology; statutory sexual seduction; lewdness with a minor; interstate travel for the purpose of sex with a minor; and other related offenses.
As recently as May 2018, Kirk Hooten served as health director of the Las Vegas Police Protective Association’s executive board, according to the union’s website.
Contact David Ferrara at dferrara@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-1039. Find @randompoker on Twitter.
