LV officer accused of lewdness with minor

A Las Vegas police officer who reportedly molested a 13-year-old girl is facing multiple counts of lewdness with a minor and possession of child pornography.

Las Vegas police said Damian Amalfitano, 32, turned himself into the Clark County Detention Center on Monday. Authorities booked Amalfitano into the jail at about 3:45 p.m. on 10 counts of lewdness with a minor under 14, one count of luring or attempting to lure a child and 19 counts of possession of child pornography.

Amalfitano has been on paid administration leave since Aug. 11, while the investigation was under way.

Police announced Monday that Amalfitano was placed on leave without pay.

The officer, a six-year veteran with the Metropolitan Police Department, was assigned to the Southwest Area Command.

Las Vegas police Assistant Sheriff Mike McClary said Amalfitano was believed to be off-duty when the alleged crimes, involving one victim, took place. McClary said police have been investigating Amalfitano for about three months.

"We possess no information at this stage that leads us to believe that there were additional victims," he said.

McClary wouldn't discuss the victim other than to say that a "social relationship existed between Amalfitano and the victim."

Earlier, KLAS-TV, Channel 8 reported that a 13-year-old girl had a romantic relationship with Amalfitano. The girl's father, whose identity was not revealed by the TV station, said during an August broadcast that the officer exchanged e-mails with his daughter and molested her several times.

McClary said the child pornography was not connected to the victim and appeared to have originated from the Internet.

He said police had received no other sexually related complaints against Amalfitano.

The officer's personnel file wasn't available on Monday.

Amalfitano is scheduled to appear in court Dec. 19.

Contact reporter David Kihara at dkihara@reviewjournal.com or (702) 383-4638.