Man convicted in affidavit scheme now faces battery charges
A former process server and Las Vegas police officer convicted in a courthouse affidavit scheme is in trouble with the law again.
Maurice Carroll, 42, has been charged with misdemeanor domestic battery in North Las Vegas in connection with allegations that he choked his girlfriend in December.
The complaint alleged Carroll grabbed Anel Rojas-Sortibran, 38, around her neck during a confrontation at a residence.
Carroll, who was freed on $2,125 bail in the case, pleaded not guilty May 23 in North Las Vegas Municipal Court. His next court date is June 16.
He could not be reached for comment.
County prosecutors who convicted Carroll in the affidavits scheme are watching the North Las Vegas case because a conviction could affect Carroll's freedom as he fights additional charges in their case. He remains free on $51,000 bail in the case.
Carroll, who ran the unlicensed process-serving company On Scene Mediations, has a June 14 trial date in District Court on 17 felony forgery charges. But that date probably will be rescheduled because Carroll has yet to get a lawyer in the case.
Prosecutors filed the forgery charges based on testimony from Carroll's own witnesses during a January hearing to overturn his conviction in the false-affidavits scheme. Carroll had been convicted in October on 17 perjury charges, 17 charges of filing false affidavits and one charge of obtaining money under false pretenses.
District Judge Elissa Cadish granted a new trial on the perjury charges but upheld the other convictions. The new perjury trial is set for July 11, and no sentencing date has been set on the convictions.
The affidavit scheme involved Carroll certifying he had served court documents in Justice Court cases when he hadn't. The cases involved one of his clients, debt collector Richland Holdings.
The Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada has filed a class-action lawsuit against Carroll and another of his former clients, payday loan company Rapid Cash, alleging false affidavits were submitted in default cases brought by the company.
Carroll's former office manager, Vilisia Coleman, pleaded guilty in the scheme and is cooperating with prosecutors.
Contact Jeff German at jgerman@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-8135.
