Sources identify Las Vegas officer at center of filmers’ arrest

Body camera footage showing the controversial arrest of two filmers after a protest revealed little additional information about the incident, but multiple sources have corroborated the identity of the police sergeant who appears to have ordered the arrests.

One of the two people arrested — Cesar Corrales — has a history of engaging in altercations with police and documenting them for his YouTube channel.

Corrales and Karlin Martinez were arrested June 12 following an immigration protest in downtown Las Vegas. They were filming when a group of officers walked by them, an officer made a snide comment and Corrales replied: “Honor your oath, b----.”

After that remark, a man at the back of the group of Metro officers gestured to his colleagues, who turned around and arrested the filmers. Legal experts have said the arrests appear unconstitutional and retaliatory.

Footage of the encounter has gone viral, with millions of views on social media.

Attorney Stephen Stubbs, who represents Martinez, identified Sgt. Fred Oliveri as the official who ordered Martinez and Corrales arrested, but the Metropolitan Police Department would not verify the sergeant’s identity. Multiple sources have since indicated Oliveri ordered the arrests, which have resulted in an internal affairs investigation.

Stubbs has said he also helped his client file an FBI complaint.

Body camera footage

Metro screened body camera footage of the arrests for the Las Vegas Review-Journal on Wednesday.

The police video showed officers surrounding Corrales on the ground. “Make sure he’s breathing,” someone said.

Corrales groaned and was told: “Stop resisting.”

“Anything else you want to say?” someone asked.

The police footage did not show the “honor your oath” remark that preceded the arrests. Police reports authored by Officer Hunter Whiteford accuse Corrales and Martinez of refusing to leave after a dispersal order, but video footage does not back up that allegation.

Oliveri has not responded to requests for comment. Metro said there is no body camera footage for Oliveri.

Corrales’ record

Corrales’ arrest was not his first conflict with police.

His YouTube channel, ENDTERRYSTOPS, shows other videos in which he has clashed with officers.

Corrales also has a criminal record.

He was convicted of assault with a deadly weapon in 2023 after being indicted on counts of assault on a protected person with a deadly weapon and intimidating a public officer.

Corrales was also convicted in 2013 of sexually motivated coercion and was accused in 2010 of impersonating a police officer, although it appears the latter case did not move forward.

Does Corrales’ past matter?

Steve Grammas, president of the Las Vegas Police Protective Association union, was unaware of Corrales’ history, but has said context seemed to be missing from the arrest’s video.

Corrales’ attorney has said her client’s past actions don’t matter when considering the circumstances of his arrest.

“Everybody has free speech rights in this country and Cesar’s background has nothing to do with the relevant question which is: Was the officers’ conduct legal?” said attorney Maggie McLetchie, who represents Corrales.

David Owens, a civil rights attorney who specializes in police misconduct cases, agreed with McLetchie that Corrales’ criminal record was irrelevant.

“If you have a criminal history, you’re still allowed to have First Amendment rights,” he said.

And even if officers were aware of Corrales’ YouTube channel, Owens said it wouldn’t justify arresting him.

Owens represented Kirstin Lobato, who was awarded $34 million by a federal jury in December after she successfully accused Metro detectives of fabricating evidence against her for the murder of a man found dead in 2001.

“There’s a cultural thing here that is very apparent,” Owens said. “It’s not like it was one guy just being mad. There’s a whole bunch of police officers blatantly violating the constitutional rights of people who have a First Amendment right to criticize and to protest the police.”

Contact Noble Brigham at nbrigham@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BrighamNoble on X.