Report outlines trafficking case against Las Vegas police officer

The arrest report of a Las Vegas police officer outlines the complex investigation that implicated him and his brother-in-law, who works for the Nevada Division of Forestry, in a marijuana trafficking operation.

It also details the pair’s connection to a prominent local businessman, who has not faced criminal charges in the case.

The lengthy report summarizes the evidence that led to the Thursday arrests of patrol officer Jesus Najera, 34, and his brother-in-law, Eduardo Garcia, 46, on conspiracy and marijuana trafficking charges. The report alleges that the men sold hemp, which had been sprayed with THC oil, as marijuana on the black market.

According to the Metropolitan Police Department arrest report, the investigation started in February when a “source of information” provided a police counterterrorism unit with a tip that a Metro officer and a firefighter were trafficking in illegal narcotics.

The source also told police that a local businessman, Norberto Madrigal, may be involved and “uses his legitimate businesses to hide these illicit activities.” Madrigal, who is vice chairman of the Las Vegas Latin Chamber of Commerce, has not been arrested or charged in the case. Attempts to reach him for comment Wednesday were not successful.

Peter Guzman, the chamber’s president, said in an email Wednesday that he knew nothing about Madrigal’s involvement in the case. He described Madrigal as a volunteer.

According to the arrest report, Madrigal is “the owner of several demolition and cleanup companies, along with several businesses that appear to be marijuana related, namely Herbal Choice Inc. and Herbal Choice NLV L.L.C.” The law enforcement source claimed Madrigal also owns a hemp farm in Nye County.

The arrest report states that the source of information, identified in the report as the “SOI,” told police a man he knew only as “Lalo” had offered to sell cocaine to him. Police said they later identified “Lalo” as Garcia and confirmed he was employed as a supervisor with the Nevada Division of Forestry.

“The second male was described as a police officer known to the SOI as ‘Jesus,’” police wrote in the report.

According to the document, the source said Jesus works for the Metropolitan Police Department and “is known to patrol the area near the Stratosphere and ‘Naked City.’”

“Jesus has offered to sell the SOI marijuana and has stated he can facilitate obtaining large amounts,” police wrote.

Police subsequently identified “Jesus” as Najera, according to the report. Police said the source claimed Najera sold his house and invested the profits in one of Madrigal’s businesses.

“The SOI relayed a story that occurred around October or November of 2019,” police wrote. “Jesus had been transporting a shipment of hemp in a U-Haul for Norberto when the U-Haul broke down on the way back from Pahrump. Jesus panicked and did not know what to do, but was eventually able to call a friend who assisted him in jumping the vehicle. A U-Haul was used due to the large amount of hemp transported.”

According to the report, the source told police that “Madrigal, Jesus and Lalo all use WhatsApp to communicate when they want to talk about illegal activities.”

Police said the source showed investigators a warehouse at 800 W. Mesquite Ave. in Las Vegas that was believed to be the location where the hemp was sprayed with THC.

A records check by police showed that the building is owned by NVDD Holding RP 5. This business, according to the arrest report, is managed by NVDD Enterprises LLC, which traced back to an address in the 1300 block of North Hollywood Boulevard in Las Vegas. The Hollywood property is owned by “Manuel and Rosa Madrigal,” the report states, noting that “Manuel Madrigal is listed as an alias for Norberto Madrigal.”

“This again confirms the information given by the SOI while also demonstrating Madrigal’s participation in the production and storage of the narcotics,” police said.

Discussing sprayed hemp

On Feb. 16 the source told police he would be meeting with Najera.

“During this meeting the two appeared to be close friends or acquaintances as they were witnessed talking, shaking hands and hugging,” police wrote.

Audio from the meeting was recorded. The two discussed “the stuff” and whether it was still in the warehouse.

“They are discussing the weight and the sale price for sprayed hemp,” police wrote. “Najera discusses selling 90 pounds of THC sprayed hemp to somebody out of state.”

Najera “mentions still being in possession of 350 pounds,” police added.

“The hemp along with Garcia and Madrigal are all mentioned on the recording,” police wrote in the arrest report.

Police later observed Garcia driving to the warehouse on West Mesquite on multiple occasions. In one instance, police said, Garcia was observed “with another unknown male loading multiple black bags into the back of a flatbed work truck.”

“The SOI also confirmed the Hemp sprayed with THC was moved out of the warehouse due to an upcoming inspection and is currently being stored at Garcia’s house,” police wrote.

Najera, Garcia and Madrigal met at the warehouse on March 8 and spent over an hour there together, according to the report.

“They were observed talking together for a good portion of this time and also went back and forth in the same area where Garcia had been the day before moving the black plastic bags,” police wrote.

On March 26, police said the source met with Garcia at Garcia’s home. Police said Garcia showed the source a marijuana grow with 30 plants and “a bin containing what appeared to be 5 to 10 pounds of the THC sprayed hemp.”

According to the report, Garcia discussed Madrigal and Najera during the meeting.

“Garcia stated they initially had over 300 pounds of the hemp which they trimmed and cleaned, leaving them with approximately 250 pounds of pure flower and buds,” the report states. “Garcia stated he believes they currently have around 200 pounds left. He believes Madrigal has sold around 50 pounds behind their backs. Garcia sounded upset about Madrigal’s behavior but says he has to put up with it to be part of the bigger legal marijuana business.”

Garcia, according to the source, mentioned knowing people in Columbia who “are looking for someone to be able to run a business and produce liquid THC.” The conversation was recorded, police said.

‘Protection on all angles’

The report states that police set up a controlled buy using a paid confidential informant, or “CI,” who was given $300 to purchase a 1-pound sample of THC-sprayed hemp.

“During the meeting Garcia mentioned to the CI that he has several business partners,” police wrote. “One of them was described as a wealthy business owner with political connections, another was described as a local cop.”

According to the report, Garcia bragged that they “had protection on all angles.” He also stated they were in the process of setting up a licensed marijuana business and mentioned owning a hemp farm in Pahrump.

“Garcia explained to the CI the process of spraying the hemp with THC,” police wrote. “He stated his sister was a chemist who had helped them in obtaining some of the chemicals needed to make the correct solution to spray it.”

Police said the informant was given a pound of the THC-sprayed hemp by Garcia, who wouldn’t accept money in exchange. Police took the bag to the department’s forensic laboratory, where it was tested. According to the arrest report, it could not be conclusively identified as marijuana as it did not have a THC content higher than 0.3 percent. It was determined to be hemp.

The informant then contacted Garcia and told him the samples were not strong enough.

“At this point Garcia offered for the CI to bring the sample back to be re-sprayed and also to discuss more business dealings,” police wrote in the report.

The informant returned to Garcia’s home, according to the report, but Garcia said he did not have more liquid THC.

“Garcia talked to the CI about his business partners, he named Norberto Madrigal as the business owner who had the license to the legal marijuana business,” the report states. “Garcia claimed Madrigal has political connections and runs the Latin Chamber of Commerce in Las Vegas. He clarified that the cop is actually his ex-brother in law.”

According to the report, Garcia claimed that Najera was going to become a detective “and would watch over the criminal enterprise,” notifying them about pending investigations and raids.

On April 6 the source met with Garcia and Najera at Garcia’s home, police said.

During the meeting, which was recorded, Najera commented on his role in transporting the hemp from Pahrump and discussed other aspects of the illegal sales, according to the report.

On April 8, police said, the informant was contacted by Garcia and told there was a new sample of THC-sprayed hemp ready for pickup. Garcia later gave the informant a bag with a green leafy substance, which was tested and determined to be marijuana, according to the report.

Five days later, the informant went back to Garcia’s residence, agreeing to purchase “a freshly sprayed sample of 2 pounds of THC sprayed hemp,” the report states.

“Garcia gave his word as a firefighter that the sample was good,” police wrote, adding that Garcia claimed he had over 160 pounds of it.

The informant gave police a bag of green leafy material that tested positive for marijuana.

“Immediately following the CI buy operation, phone records show that there was communication between Garcia and Najera and Garcia and Madrigal,” police wrote.

Police said they tracked several financial payments made by Najera to a “multi-time ex felon” in Nye County and that the transactions “appear to be related to the hemp farm in Pahrump.”

Later that month, the informant arranged to purchase 2 pounds of THC-sprayed hemp, according to the arrest report. Police gave the informant $1,000 and watched as the informant met with Garcia at the Mesquite Avenue warehouse.

According to the report, the informant left the meeting with a bag containing a leafy substance, and tests on the material are pending.

“Garcia stated there were 250 pounds of the hemp still available for sale,” police wrote. “Garcia stated the hemp is not located inside the warehouse but did say the warehouse is where it is sprayed with THC and made into marijuana.”

On April 26 the informant told Garcia he wanted to purchase “the rest of the THC sprayed hemp along with a liter of liquid THC,” according to the report, and Garcia told the informant the hemp was supposed to be sprayed on April 28.

Police conduct searches

The Las Vegas police SWAT team executed a search warrant on April 30 at the Mesquite Avenue warehouse. Police said they found large amounts of a substance believed to be marijuana, oven bags and a large glass jar half full with a clear liquid that “appeared to be THC liquid/oil.”

They found a commercial grade stirrer, gloves, a scale and a mailing label on a box addressed to Najera. Police said they also found a large electric air compressor with a hose attached. Attached to the hose was a paint sprayer, which contained a dark-colored liquid that police suspect is THC, the report states.

Police then searched Garcia’s home and Najera’s apartment. In Garcia’s home they found materials believed to be marijuana, according to the report.

In Najera’s apartment police said they found 1.1 grams of cocaine. Police also said they found 10 white pills identified as oxycodone/hydrochloride and a single pill believed to be “MDMA,” or ecstasy.

Police attempted to interview Najera, but he invoked his right to an attorney. There is no reference in the report to any interviews with Garcia or Madrigal.

The report concludes that Najera conspired with Garcia to possess well over 50 pounds of marijuana and that they also possessed more than 1,000 grams of THC oil. The investigative summary does not make any reference to the pursuit of any charges against Madrigal. On Wednesday, police said only that the case remains under investigation.

Las Vegas Justice Court records show that two criminal cases against Najera are pending. He faces multiple felonies, including marijuana trafficking, conspiracy and possession of a controlled substance. A criminal complaint has not been filed in either case.

Garcia is charged in Justice Court with transporting a controlled substance, trafficking in marijuana and conspiracy.

The Transparent Nevada website lists Garcia as a conservation crew supervisor for the state. His total pay, including benefits, was about $97,000 for 2019. Najera was listed on the website as a Las Vegas officer with total pay, including benefits, of about $121,000 for 2019.

Metro said last week that Najera, who has worked as a police officer since 2016, was relieved of duty and placed on administrative leave without pay.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal interviewed Madrigal in 2019 for a story about Latino business owners’ optimism over the valley’s economy.

“It’s going to be great,” he said. “I feel optimistic about the market. I feel that it’s strong.”

Contact Glenn Puit by email at gpuit@reviewjournal.com. Follow @GlennatRJ on Twitter.