Former captain sues Las Vegas constable’s office

A former captain in the Las Vegas Township Constable’s office was ordered to dig up “unflattering information” on four high-ranking Nevada Highway Patrol officials critical of Constable John Bonaventura’s leadership in an effort to discredit and embarrass them, according to the latest round of allegations to hit the constable’s office.

The allegation is contained in a federal civil lawsuit filed against Bonaventura and the constable’s office by Bryan Cornell, who rose through the ranks of the constable’s office during a 10-year career that predated Bonaventura’s troubled four-year term in the office.

Cornell maintains that he was also ordered to avoid issuing citations for improperly registered vehicles at an affluent apartment complex that donated to politicians and was unfairly placed under an investigation before losing his job.

Cornell’s time line in the lawsuit suggests his troubles began in February 2013, when he learned of allegations that Deputy Chief Dean Lauer had improperly searched for porn stars and other celebrities on Accurint, an informational database the office used. The system provides personal information such as addresses, birth dates and Social Security numbers.

Cornell claims that shortly after reporting his concerns to Capt. Hadi Sajadi, who is responsible for internal investigations, he was asked to dig up dirt on Nevada Highway Patrol officials, who were not named in the lawsuit. Cornell claims Sajadi handed him a piece of paper with the names and ranks of the officials.

Cornell refused, calling it unethical and potentially illegal, the lawsuit says. The next month, Lauer told Cornell he would be disciplined for “insubordination” for reporting the database misuse and voicing concerns to Sajadi, according to the complaint. A few days later, Bonaventura expressed displeasure with Cornell for reporting the allegations and ordered the shredding of documents tied to the investigation.

The Review-Journal previously reported that Bonaventura ordered the shredding of records tied to database searches. In an audio recording obtained by the newspaper, Bonaventura cut Sajadi off when he suggested a “friendly debate” about the matter. Bonaventura then said he didn’t want to know what happened and ordered the documents shredded.

Bonaventura’s days as constable are winding down. He was elected to the post in 2010. The Clark County Commission in March 2013 abolished the office, effective when Bonaventura’s term ends in January 2015. That came after myriad troubles with the office, including financial conflicts with the county, allegations of sexual harassment, and hiring deputies with questionable backgrounds.

Bonaventura called into question the motivation behind the lawsuit.

“Looks like another money hungry ex-employee that sees dollar signs for being laid off or terminated,” Bonaventura said in an email. “Just about everyone that gets laid off or terminated these days seems to try to invent a get rich scheme off the backs of public offices.”

The lawsuit also names as defendants Lauer, Sajadi and Lou Toomin, Bonaventura’s public information officer. The lawsuit seeks damages of more than $750,000. Cornell claims he was in a hostile work environment and kept under indefinite investigation.

Cornell’s lawsuit also centers around the “fair share” program, which he oversaw before losing his job in July 2014. His lawsuit called it a “de facto” termination that the office characterized as a layoff.

The program gives citations to drivers residing in Nevada with out-of-state license plates. Earlier this year, it sparked a separate federal lawsuit that called the $100 tickets unconstitutional because of how the fees are collected, with no opportunity to challenge the collection process in court.

Cornell says his superiors instructed him in March 2014 not to enforce the program at the Turnberry Towers residential complex. Toomin told Cornell that the homeowners association had complained about the enforcement and informed him it had wealthy campaign contributors, according to the complaint.

At the time, Toomin and Bonaventura were in the midst of unsuccessful campaigns for County Commission seats. Cornell says he continued to enforce the program there.

While Cornell was citing vehicles at Turnberry, Tony Rector, the HOA president, called him into his office, according to the lawsuit. Rector, who isn’t a defendant in the case, told Cornell he would “hash it out with Lou” Toomin the next day at lunch, according to the complaint.

Contact Ben Botkin at bbotkin@reviewjournal.com or 702-405-9781. Follow @BenBotkin1 on Twitter.