Man charged with impersonating officer, sexual assault of second woman
A Clark County Detention Center inmate held on a prostitution charge is the second woman to accuse a local man of impersonating a detective and sexually assaulting her, a police report said.
Las Vegas police spokesman Bill Cassell said a second set of charges have been issued against Philip Taft, 38, who now faces two counts each of impersonating a police officer, sexual assault, open and gross lewdness and kidnapping. Taft, who was a floor supervisor at The Venetian, is being held without bail at the Clark County Detention Center.
The report said the inmate came forward Monday after she learned Taft had been arrested. She told police Taft picked her up at 4 a.m. near a Panda Express on West Tropicana Avenue near Decatur Boulevard, where she was working as a prostitute. The report didn’t give a date for the incident.
The woman got in the car with Taft and they began negotiating terms. Taft then told her he was a police officer and had a gun and a badge under the seat, the report said.
Taft told the woman she had to perform oral sex or have sex with him in order to avoid going to jail.
The woman told police Taft drove her to an area near Sunset and Fort Apache roads and sexually assaulted her. Taft then told the woman he was actually a lawyer and she asked for money. Taft said all he had was $10 and gave it to her.
The woman did not go to police because she was doing something illegal, the report said. The woman also told police she had seen Taft at the Tropicana corridor several times since she was assaulted.
On July 26, Taft approached a woman near Tropicana Avenue and Wynn Boulevard, police said. He identified himself as a plainclothes detective and said he had a gun. The report said Taft flashed a gold star badge at her and began asking her “prostitution-related questions.”
The woman denied being a prostitute but got in Taft’s car because he said he wanted to question her. He also told her they were going to meet with other officers. The woman, identified by police as Taft’s first victim, said he was very convincing. The report said the woman assaulted July 26 believed Taft because of “his dress, his speech and his badge.”
Taft drove her to an area near Decatur Boulevard and Post Road and sexually assaulted her, the report said. The woman tried to fight him off.
According to the report, Taft tried to rationalize his behavior.
“He asked her to stop crying, told her that he was trying to teach her a lesson,” the report said. “He said ‘that’s why you’re never supposed to get in another guy’s car.’”
Taft told police he picked up the woman at a Budget Suites on Tropicana and then drove to the gas station to pick up condoms. He then drove her to an unknown location, the report said.
He told police he had been drinking and was unable to perform sexually. He drove her back to the Budget Suites. When she asked for payment, he refused.
The report said Taft denied sexually assaulting or kidnapping the woman. He also denied possessing a badge. He is scheduled to make his first appearance in court today.
Anyone with information about Taft is urged to call Las Vegas police Detective G. Bello at 828-3421.
Contact reporter Antonio Planas at aplanas@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4638.
