A Carson City probation officer accused of molesting some of his female charges will be facing allegations from a seventh victim this morning when he appears in Carson City Justice Court for an arraignment.
An amended criminal complaint filed Thursday by the Nevada Attorney General's Office, now charges Aaron Lewis, 36, with eight felony counts of misconduct of a public officer, nine gross misdemeanor counts of oppression under color of office, seven gross misdemeanor counts of open and gross lewdness and one felony count of coercion using physical force.
The additional counts of misconduct of a public officer, open and gross lewdness and oppression under color of office were added to the complaint after a seventh victim came forward to report Lewis allegedly directed her to expose her genitals during a urine test for drugs.
The complaint alleges that Lewis, an officer with the Carson City Department of Alternative Sentencing which monitors people out on bail and on city probation, used threats of arrest to force the women into disrobing, touched one woman's genitals while touching himself, and subjected the women to inspections of their genitals and breasts under the ruse that he was looking for drugs or needle marks.
According to Carson City Alternative Sentencing Chief Rory Planeta, the allegations came to light in September and Lewis was immediately placed on administrative leave with pay. A final determination of his employment status is pending the completion of an internal investigation being conducted by the Douglas County Sheriff's Office.
Lewis surrendered on a warrant to the Douglas County Sheriff's Office on March 22 and was booked and released.
Prior to joining Alternative Sentencing in 2009, Lewis had worked for the Nevada Department of Corrections and as a deputy with the Lyon County Sheriff's Office.
According to United States District Records, in 2001 Lewis sued Lyon County for wrongful termination after he was fired for not disclosing on his Lyon County application that he smoked marijuana prior to his employment.
When Lewis disclosed on a 2000 application with the Nevada Highway Patrol that he had smoked marijuana as a teen, Lyon County learned of the discrepancy. The Nevada Highway Patrol declined to hire Lewis after conducting a background check on him.
Additionally, Lewis claimed in the lawsuit - which was later dismissed and affirmed after an appeal - that he was fired in retaliation for reporting a fellow deputy had drugs and drug paraphernalia he had taken from suspects in his home, that his supervisors put disparaging memos in his personnel file without giving him an opportunity to respond, that he had been branded a liar by then-Sheriff Sid Smith and he was defamed, placed in a false light and was "humiliated in front of his family, co-workers, associates and peers."
