Retired Metro sergeant accused of massage parlor thefts will serve no time behind bars - Las Vegas Review-Journal

[Noble Brigham]

A retired Metropolitan Police Department vice squad sergeant accused of stealing from massage parlors will not serve any time behind bars, a judge ruled Thursday.

Sean Lucero, 52, was apologetic as he gave an emotional statement to District Judge Michelle Leavitt at his sentencing hearing.

“This is very difficult for me to say in front of the court, especially in front of other people wearing the uniform, but I did betray the trust of the community,” he said. “I dishonored my badge and I was disloyal and I wasn’t committed.”

Police alleged Lucero made ill-gotten cash deposits that totaled $37,160 and often corresponded to days when he took part in “massage parlor operations” where detectives posed as patrons at businesses suspected of offering prostitution.

Lucero admitted to detectives that he stole from massage parlors 10 to 12 times, according to Metro.

In November, he pleaded guilty to counts of attempted theft and oppression under the color of office.

Leavitt gave Lucero a 364 day suspended sentence and ordered him to serve up to a year of probation. He must also pay $6,790 in restitution, she ordered.

No victims spoke at his sentencing and prosecutors did not argue for a specific punishment.

The original plea agreement specified that prosecutors could present sentencing arguments, but Leavitt said at Thursday’s hearing that prosecutors filed a new plea deal that stated they would not have a recommended sentence.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Jessica Walsh said prosecutors initially had wanted to see what was in Lucero’s pre-sentence investigation report and after reviewing that, would not be making a recommendation. She said nothing concerning turned up in Lucero’s background.

Defense attorney Craig Hendricks said he couldn’t articulate his client’s shame and pain better than Lucero did by himself. Hendricks said the case moved quickly because Lucero wanted to be held accountable.

Hendricks, a former prosecutor, told the judge he knew Lucero as someone who “did very, very good work” and earned promotions. Lucero also served in the U.S. Marine Corps and received multiple awards, he said.

“For a small time during his life, he made some poor choices,” Hendricks said.

Lucero told the court he joined the military at age 19 and wore a uniform for 30 years.

“I’m not looking for sympathy from the court,” he added. “I’m fessing up to what I did because I told my kids: ‘you make a mistake, you own up to it, you’re not going to hide from it.’ Whatever sentence you give me, I’ll take it like a man because it’s going to make me go further in life, it’s going to help me heal.”

He said he had been shunned from his friends and embarrassed his family. He wished he could go back in time and tell himself that it was alright to talk to people about what he was going through, he said.

Lucero suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, largely from what he saw during his Marine Corps service, according to Hendricks. He has been in counseling and will continue to undergo it, said Hendricks, who confirmed his client will still collect his Metro pension.

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