Vegas sheriff refuses judge's order to free 35-arrest repeat offender - court clash heads to top

A Las Vegas sheriff is refusing to release a repeat offender with 35 arrests despite a judge's order, sparking a legal showdown now headed to the Nevada Supreme Court over who decides if a suspect is too dangerous to leave jail.

The dispute began after Las Vegas Justice Court Judge Eric Goodman ordered Joshua Sanchez-Lopez released on electronic monitoring, a program that allows defendants to leave jail while wearing a GPS ankle bracelet, according to KLAS.

But law enforcement officials declined to release Sanchez-Lopez, arguing his criminal history makes him too dangerous to supervise in the community.

Sanchez-Lopez, 36, is a felon whose record includes 35 arrests and prior prison time for drug and involuntary manslaughter charges, according to records cited by KLAS.

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Police say his past behavior raises serious concerns. In one 2020 arrest, Sanchez-Lopez allegedly ran from officers while armed with a gun, later posting on Snapchat showing his ankle monitor and saying he "got chased again," according to documents cited by KLAS.

Officials say cases like that are exactly why the sheriff's office believes it should have the final say on whether someone can be placed in the electronic monitoring program.

"We have to take a look at that and say, 'Is this somebody who our electronic supervision program can monitor safely in the community?'" Mike Dickerson, assistant general counsel for the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, told KLAS. "This is an issue of public safety."

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The case stems from Sanchez-Lopez's January arrest on a charge of grand larceny of a motor vehicle. 

During a court hearing, Goodman set bail at $25,000 and ordered that Sanchez-Lopez be placed on "high-level" electronic monitoring, essentially house arrest, if he posted bond, KLAS reported.

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Authorities refused, citing prior bench warrants, failures to appear in court and violations of the department's monitoring program, according to the outlet.

When police declined to release him, Goodman ordered the department to comply and warned officials they could face contempt sanctions if they did not, the outlet reported.

"When someone has dozens of prior arrests and a history of violations, that raises serious concerns about whether they can safely be released into the community," said David Moody, a retired LVMPD detective and state president of FOP in Nevada. "From a law enforcement perspective, public safety has to come first."

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Now the sheriff's office is asking the Nevada Supreme Court to step in, arguing state law gives Clark County Sheriff Kevin McMahill the authority to determine whether supervising someone outside jail would pose an unreasonable risk to public safety.

"Sheriff McMahill will not violate the law to appease the Las Vegas Justice Court and let out people who he deems to be dangerous," the department said in a statement.

Steve Grammas, president of the Las Vegas Police Protective Association, told Fox News Digital the dispute ultimately comes down to who the law says controls electronic monitoring.

"Statutorily, it's very clear the sheriff decides whether someone can be placed on supervised monitoring," Grammas said. "It's his jail and his supervision, so that decision rests with him."

Grammas said the case has drawn attention because many people view it as a public safety issue involving a repeat offender with a long arrest record.

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Sanchez-Lopez's attorney, however, argues the sheriff is overstepping his authority.

"Metro's argument is flat wrong," public defender P. David Westbrook said in a statement to KLAS. "It is the job of the elected judge to decide whether someone charged with a crime should be released and under what conditions."

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The dispute has also drawn attention online, where some commentators praised the sheriff for refusing to release the defendant.

The conservative social media account Libs of TikTok posted about the case on X, calling Sanchez-Lopez a "violent career criminal" and writing, "Kudos to this sheriff!"

The Nevada Republican Club also weighed in, writing, "That's our Sheriff. We stand behind him all day long."

Sigal Chattah, the U.S. attorney for the District of Nevada, also praised the sheriff, writing on X: "Couldn't be more proud to call this guy MY SHERIFF… bow down America to King Kevin."

The Nevada Supreme Court has not yet scheduled a hearing on the petition.

Fox News Digital reached out to Sanchez-Lopez's attorney, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and the Clark County District Attorney's Office for comment. Goodman declined to comment, citing the pending case.