Police report on Henderson Councilwoman Cox lists more allegations

Investigators alleged Henderson Councilwoman Carrie Cox was running an unlicensed daycare out of her private residence, solicited donations for her own benefit, intervened in internal police affairs and engaged in other instances of official misconduct, according to a police report.

Metro’s Public Integrity Squad, which examines allegations involving public officials in Clark County, said they began their probe into Cox after they were notified by the Henderson Police Department of a Jan. 9 confrontation in which Cox is accused of secretly recording a conversation between Councilwoman Monica Larson and others for eight minutes.

The 28-page report goes on to list several allegations against Cox, who, according to police, likely committed “multiple acts in violation” of Nevada’s ethics laws.

After detectives searched Cox’s Apple iCloud account and confiscated her phone in June, police alleged that, among other things, Cox profited an estimated $200,000 over a one-year span from her a childcare operation, used city resources to write a character letter for a nurse who was facing discipline from state officials, solicited a $2,000 campaign contribution from a business owner who was told the money would feed needy families, and meddled in Henderson police affairs on multiple occasions to benefit herself and others.

Cox was indicted Nov. 4 in District Court on one felony count of monitoring or attempting to monitor a private conversation. Nevada law makes it a felony to intrude on the privacy of others by “surreptitiously” monitoring or trying to monitor private conversations.

Cox told the Las Vegas Review-Journal on Nov. 5 she was surprised by the charge and said the case was a “witch hunt” against her.

‘There is much more to this story’

Investigators asked Cox about what they said were multiple surreptitious recordings of Larson that were lifted from Cox’s Apple iCloud account as well as video surveillance from the incident in January depicting her recording Larson from behind a curtain, according to the report.

The allegations were reviewed by the Clark County district attorney’s office prior to Cox’s indictment, investigators wrote. A district attorney spokesperson could not immediately be reached for comment.

Cox, who was first elected in 2022 and is up for re-election next year, is due back in court on Thursday. Her attorney, Josh Tomsheck, said in a text message on Tuesday that Cox maintains her innocence and declined comment on “any innuendo or allegation” outside of the pending charge the councilwoman is facing.

“There is much more to this story that will be revealed through the court process and Mrs. Cox very much looks forward to addressing these allegations through the appropriate channels,” Tomsheck said.

In a statement released by spokeswoman Elizabeth Trosper, Henderson Mayor Michelle Romero said she was “outraged” by Cox’s alleged behavior. Through Trosper, Larson also declined to comment.

A judge has ordered Cox to have no contact with Larson, except during City Council meetings. Romero said she would meet with the city attorney’s office, Henderson City Manager Stephanie Garcia-Vause and others on the council to determine next steps, but did not elaborate further.

“Having reviewed the LVMPD officers’ report that resulted in the indictment of Ms. Cox, I am outraged by her behavior in violation of the law, as well as the public trust she has sworn to uphold,” Romero said. “Henderson residents deserve better than this. These are not the ethics to which elected officials are sworn to uphold.”

Henderson’s public information office said Wednesday the city takes allegations of illegal or unethical conduct by anyone, including elected officials and city employees, with “utmost seriousness.”

“We will conduct a thorough review of the facts surrounding this case to determine the implications of these findings and are poised to take the steps necessary to modify operational processes to responsibly protect the City’s interests,” spokesperson Madeleine Skains wrote in an email. “We thank the LVMPD Criminal Intelligence Section and Public Integrity Squad for their diligent work on this investigation.”

Report: ‘I’m recording you’

After Larson reported the recording to the Henderson Police Department on Jan. 10, she told Metro detectives she and Cox were attending a retirement party for former Henderson City Manager Richard Derrick at City Hall.

Police said Larson told them she was speaking with members of the Henderson Chamber of Commerce — identified in grand jury testimony as real estate broker Michael Hiltz and developer Richard Smith — when Cox “emerged” from a nearby black curtain.

“Larson stated Cox began conversing in a hostile manner stating she had recorded their conversation,” the report said. “She (Cox) stated, ‘I’m recording you. I heard your whole conversation. I’m recording.’”

Larson told investigators she believed Cox had “ill intentions” with the recording of her conversation, which according to grand jury transcripts, was largely an exchanging of pleasantries but turned to focus on Cox.

After speaking with Larson, detectives said they obtained a warrant to gain access to Cox’s iCloud account. Investigators said they found a video from Jan. 9 of someone appearing to conceal themselves behind a black curtain while recording a private conversation, time-stamped at about the same time a surveillance feed showed Cox behind the curtain near Larson and others.

Metro wrote that roughly 30 minutes after the initial recording, another video taken from Cox’s phone depicted Larson in what appeared to be another private conversation.

At a meeting in June, investigators played the videos taken from Cox’s phone for Larson, who said she recognized her voice in both recordings.

When confronted by investigators about the Jan. 9 video on her iCloud, Cox denied she recorded the conversation and said her phone must have been hacked, Metro detective Jackie McCrary said in grand jury testimony.

Childcare operation

Metro said while investigating the recording, detectives learned Cox profited roughly $200,000 within a one-year span from a child care enterprise run with her husband they said is unlicensed.

Larson said during her interview with Metro in January she heard from concerned constituents who suspected Cox was running an unlicensed daycare, according to the report.

Cox’s biography on the political candidate tracking website Ballotpedia shows she owns a business called Care Bears Learning and Childcare, and campaign financial disclosure statements for 2017 and 2022 through 2024 cite a childcare business as a source of income.

Investigators wrote in the report neither Carrie Cox nor her husband Matthew Cox have ever obtained childcare licensing in Nevada.

“Investigators established probable cause to believe Cox has been operating an illegal daycare in the City of Henderson in violation of Operating a Business without a License,” according to the report. “It is relevant to note Cox may also be committing tax evasion, defrauding the United States Government.”

Metro said its investigation also revealed several instances of Misconduct of a Public Officer, a felony. The report also stated that Cox likely committed multiple acts in violation of the state’s code of ethical standards. Those violations are civil “and not relevant” to Metro’s criminal investigation, police said. Detectives wrote they paused their probe until they were granted additional warrants to recover more of Cox’s communications.

Cox told investigators in June she was aware of the January report filed by Larson and stated she had “read it.” Police said that would mean a city employee with access to their reporting system granted an alleged suspect, Cox, to read a report against her, “a gross abuse of duty.”

Contact Casey Harrison at charrison@reviewjournal.com. Follow @casey-harrison.bsky.social on Bluesky.