Metro police officer accused of hitting his son pleads guilty to reduced charge
A Metropolitan Police Department officer accused of striking his 4-year-old son’s face four times pleaded guilty to one count of battery Tuesday, court records show.
Officer Brandon Pierce, who has been employed with the department since 2023, was arrested Aug. 15 after becoming “flustered” and hitting his child while getting him ready for school, according to his arrest report.
A North Las Vegas Police Department officer who examined his son noted in Pierce’s arrest report that the boy had a slightly swollen and red handprint mark on his face that had “begun to turn purple.”
Pierce was given a suspended sentence in court Tuesday by Justice of the Peace Kalani Hoo after having his charge amended several times. Initially charged with felony child abuse, Pierce ultimately pleaded guilty to battery, a misdemeanor, court records show.
If Pierce fulfills certain conditions, the charge will be further reduced to disorderly conduct and Pierce will avoid serving his 30-day suspended sentence in jail, records show.
These conditions are that Pierce pay for and complete a 13-week impulse control program and a parenting class, comply with Child Protective Services orders and stay out of trouble. Pierce will undergo an impulse control and anger management evaluation, according to court records.
The bond that Pierce posted on Aug. 21 was also exonerated, meaning Pierce will be refunded the amount.
Warren Geller, Pierce’s attorney, said he felt that the sentence was “a just resolution,” given that “the allegations were not very serious at all.”
Pierce remains on suspension of police powers, but with pay, pending further investigation, Metro said.
Metro spokesperson Robert Wicks said that now that Pierce has been sentenced in court, Metro will move forward with its own internal investigation.
He said that there is no specific policy regarding an officer convicted of battery, but that the investigation will pertain to whether there was a breach of Metro’s code of conduct.
According to Metro policy, internal investigators “will not interview the suspect employee until after the criminal case has been submitted for prosecution or otherwise closed.”
Contact Estelle Atkinson at eatkinson@reviewjournal.com. Follow @estellelilym on X and @estelleatkinsonreports on Instagram.