Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Blog

Metro Sued over SCOPE

During a November program we told you about a private investigator, Jim Thomas, who obtained reports from Metropolitan Police containing social security numbers and other confidential information on hundreds of unwitting citizens. Thomas was doing the bidding of local businessman Jeff Guinn, the son of then-Governor Kenny Guinn. The younger Guinn hired Thomas to dig up dirt on Steve Quinn, a local contractor Guinn was suing.

Abuse of Power?, seg. 1

Documents from a lawsuit involving a prominent Las Vegan reveal a disturbing use of public agencies for harassment and private gain. And, your identity could be at risk. How could the police, charged with preventing identity theft, potentially be perpetrating it? Face to Face investigates.

Abuse of Power?, seg. 2

Documents from a lawsuit involving a prominent Las Vegan reveal a disturbing use of public agencies for harassment and private gain. And, your identity could be at risk. How could the police, charged with preventing identity theft, potentially be perpetrating it? Face to Face investigates.

Abuse of Power?, seg. 3

Documents from a lawsuit involving a prominent Las Vegan reveal a disturbing use of public agencies for harassment and private gain. And, your identity could be at risk. How could the police, charged with preventing identity theft, potentially be perpetrating it? Face to Face investigates.

Abuse of Power?, seg. 4

Documents from a lawsuit involving a prominent Las Vegan reveal a disturbing use of public agencies for harassment and private gain. And, your identity could be at risk. How could the police, charged with preventing identity theft, potentially be perpetrating it? Face to Face investigates.

Necessary Force? seg. 3

The three Metro SWAT officers shot at by a drug suspect are receiving purple hearts, but was the use of force really necessary? Plus, are police and other public employees paid too much; and is Metro doing it all it can to protect your identity from the actions of wayward cops? Jon asks Metro Sheriff Doug Gillespie about these topics and more.

Necessary Force? seg. 4

The three Metro SWAT officers shot at by a drug suspect are receiving purple hearts, but was the use of force really necessary? Plus, are police and other public employees paid too much; and is Metro doing it all it can to protect your identity from the actions of wayward cops? Jon asks Metro Sheriff Doug Gillespie about these topics and more.

While Guinn came up empty, our digging unearthed a disturbing abuse of power probably not isolated to the case at hand. Now Metro and others are being sued by Quinn.

Last week on the program Sheriff Doug Gillespie promised a new day at Metro and confirmed a "ridiculous" number of SCOPES had been run on Quinn, his family, a handful of acquaintances and mostly unfortunate motorists who ventured into a driveway near Quinn's building. Gillespie says the internal investigation is ongoing into the actions of the alleged offender, former Detective Paul Osuch, who resigned after our program aired in November.

Depositions in the case reveal that Metro also conducted drug surveillance of Quinn's business based on a request from Jeff Guinn. Metro says anyone can and should report suspicious activity but that a drug surveillance would require probable cause. Absent that cause, how was Guinn able to get Metro to take part?

Stay tuned for updates as the lawsuit progresses.

The lawsuit, original program and Sheriff Gillespie's appearance are posted to the right.

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