Safe Nest fires worker accused of coercing woman

Safe Nest has fired the employee accused earlier this week of attempting to coerce a woman into sex in exchange for signing off on her court-mandated community service hours, according to the nonprofit agency.

Benedetto Vitale, 59, was arrested by North Las Vegas police Tuesday on one count each of open and gross lewdness, forgery and sexually motivated coercion.

Safe Nest, dedicated to helping women who are victims of domestic violence, released a statement Saturday that it terminated Vitale's employment on Friday, after reviewing the criminal and arrest reports for the incident. He had already been put on administrative leave while the company investigated the incident.

"Our staff is committed to our community," spokeswoman Lisa Lynn Chapman said. "Our agency provides shelter, counseling, advocacy and prevention services for victims of domestic violence and has done so for 35 years. With the support of our community, we will continue to provide our needed services."

The 24-year-old woman reported to Safe Nest's donation center, where Vitale was a manager, to begin court-mandated community service hours on July 22. According to the police report, Vitale asked for sex in exchange for filling out the woman's 171 required hours.

Vitale had been an employee with Safe Nest for eight years. Efforts to reach him for comment have been unsuccessful.

Chapman said Vitale's job did not bring him into contact with victims of domestic violence.

Contact Kyle Potter at kpotter@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0391.