Las Vegas prosecutor faces charges after police say he tried to lure an underage girl for sex
A Las Vegas prosecutor was arrested Friday in Henderson on charges of attempting to solicit a child for sex, according to court records obtained by the Las Vegas Journal.
The prosecutor, identified as Tanner Castro, who worked in Clark County, faces charges of luring or attempting to lure a child or mentally ill person using computer technology to engage in sexual conduct, the Las Vegas Journal reported. He is also facing attempted statuary sexual seduction by a person over 21.
According to KLAS, Henderson police conducted a sting operation on Castro, who they say tried to meet an underage girl at a park to have sex in the backseat of his car.
He chose the username "boat666666" on Kik and "Rogue 96" on Snapchat during his communication with who he thought was an underage girl but instead was police.
"Subjects are much more likely to encourage a child to produce child sexual abuse material ... to use these platforms to speak and possibly coordinate a meeting date/time and location for sexual contact with a child," the arrest report states.
Henderson police also said they found a box of condoms in Castro's car after he tried meeting the underage girl at Whitney Mesa Park.
The FBI Child Exploitation Task Force and the Nevada Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force were part of the undercover sting operation to catch Castro.
District Attorney Steve Wolfson told KLAS that Castro, who was just hired on Sept 2. was terminated from the Clark County District Attorney's office on Monday.
Castro posted bail Saturday and is supposed to appear in court on Nov 7. His attorney, Craig Hendricks, declined to speak to the Las Vegas Journal about his client's charges.
The Las Vegas Defense Group says luring a child in Nevada is a Class B felony. Castro could face up to 10 years in Nevada State Prison.
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