Las Vegas Sun

March 18, 2024

After DUI arrest, Boulder City constable facing burglary, weapons charges

Updated Thursday, March 11, 2010 | 4:05 p.m.

Click to enlarge photo

Larry Markotay

Boulder City's constable, who is facing drunken driving charges in connection with a Feb. 22 crash, was arrested Wednesday night on felony charges after investigators found evidence that linked him to burglary and false documentation, Boulder City Police said Thursday.

Larry Markotay, 42, the chief constable of Boulder Township, was arrested about 10:55 p.m. after detectives served him with warrants at his home charging him with burglary while in possession of a firearm, three counts of grand larceny of a firearm and two counts of possession of stolen property.

Police said Markotay admitted to picking the lock at his ex-girlfriend’s house on Feb. 14 and taking several firearms. He said he had loaned his girlfriend the firearms before their breakup in August 2009, police said.

The woman filed a report stating that four handguns -- a .38-caliber, 9 mm, .357-caliber and .45-caliber -- and a camera had been taken from her home. She said the guns taken were gifts she received from Markotay during their relationship.

She told officers Markotay gave her the firearms after he appointed her as reserve constable of the Boulder City Township in December 2008, the police report said. Markotay provided her with a deputy constable badge and identification card, authorizing her ability to conduct investigations and make arrests, police said.

Authorities said the woman never attended a Peace Officer Standards and Training academy, nor did she receive a certificate as a peace officer. Markotay also never swore the woman in as a peace officer under oath, according to Clark County Recorder's Office documents.

Nevada statutes require deputies appointed by the constable’s office to have their oath recorded with the county recorder. Markotay is accused of creating a false certificate for the woman, but nothing was on file for her.

Markotay is also facing charges of DUI and fleeing the scene of an accident after crashing his duty-vehicle into a light pole near Utah and Seven Streets on Feb. 22. A citizen called 911 to report that a car had crashed into a light pole and that the occupants had left the area. When police responded, officers recognized the 2003 Ford Crown Victoria as Markotay’s vehicle.

At the scene of that crash, authorities said they obtained evidence that provided them with additional leads about the residential burglary. A passenger in the vehicle told police that Markotay took the firearms from the woman’s home and had become obsessed with her since the breakup, the report said.

The man also said Markotay took the woman’s computer during the Feb. 14 burglary, read her e-mails and returned it, police said.

On Feb. 24, Markotay spoke with an officer in his home and said he didn’t want to go to jail. He said he wanted a summons because of his back problems, police said.

The summons request was denied and Boulder City Police arrested Markotay without incident in connection with the burglary on Wednesday. He was booked into the Clark County Detention Center without bail.

Markotay is scheduled to appear in Henderson Justice Court at 9 a.m. on March 15 for arraignment on the felony charges.

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