LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) and Sheriff Kevin McMahill have asked the Nevada Supreme Court to step in after a Las Vegas Justice Court judge ordered that Joshua Sanchez-Lopez be released on an ankle monitor.
In a filing dated March 9, 2026, LVMPD and the Sheriff asked for a court order that would stop the Justice Court from forcing the Sheriff’s Office to put Sanchez-Lopez, who has been arrested 35 times, on high-level electronic monitoring and from threatening contempt penalties if it doesn’t.
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According to court records, Sanchez-Lopez has also faced over 80 charges, and multiple felony convictions, including, sales of controlled substance (2023), involuntary manslaughter (2022), firearm prohibited person (2021), stolen vehicle (2014), plus misdemeanors incl. obstructing and domestic violence.
LVMPD says Nevada law requires the Sheriff to make his own safety call before anyone is put on electronic monitoring. The department says it reviewed Sanchez-Lopez’s history and decided electronic monitoring would be too risky for public safety, even though the Justice Court approved it as part of pretrial release.
The petition points to a Feb. 5, 2026 Justice Court order that told LVMPD to release Sanchez-Lopez to electronic monitoring by 5 p.m. the next day. LVMPD also says it was not told about the Feb. 5 court hearing ahead of time and did not get a chance to speak before the judge signed the order.
On Monday, Governor Joe Lombardo released a statement on X stating his support to Sheriff McMahill.
Sheriff McMahill and the men and women of Metro are doing exactly what they’re sworn to do: protect the public.
When repeat violent offenders are ordered back onto our streets, law enforcement has a duty to speak up and push back.
I fully support LVMPD’s decision to take this…
— Joe Lombardo (@JoeLombardoNV) March 16, 2026
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LVMPD and the Sheriff are asking the Nevada Supreme Court to cancel that order, stop any contempt action based on it, and prevent similar orders in the future when the Sheriff has rejected electronic monitoring for safety reasons.
Fox5 has reached out to LVMPD for comment.
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