LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — A dispute between the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and a justice court judge over whether a repeat offender should be released on an ankle monitor is escalating, with contempt proceedings now threatened against Sheriff Kevin McMahill.
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Background
On Feb. 5, 2026, a Las Vegas Justice Court judge ordered that Joshua Sanchez-Lopez be released to electronic monitoring, directing LVMPD to transfer him to the program by 5 p.m. the following day. LVMPD said it was not notified of the Feb. 5 hearing in advance and did not have an opportunity to address the court before the order was signed.
In a filing dated March 9, 2026, LVMPD and McMahill asked the Nevada Supreme Court to block the order, halt any contempt action tied to it, and prevent similar orders in the future when the sheriff has rejected electronic monitoring on public safety grounds.
Suspect’s record
A new mug shot of Sanchez-Lopez was obtained from Nye County, where he was arrested in 2022 on charges tied to a 2019 case that included open murder. Court records show he has been arrested at least 35 times and has faced more than 80 charges. His record includes multiple felony convictions: sales of a controlled substance (2023), involuntary manslaughter (2022), firearm prohibited person (2021), and stolen vehicle (2014), as well as misdemeanors including obstructing and domestic violence.
Court records also show Sanchez-Lopez has been placed on an ankle monitor on prior occasions but did not follow the conditions of that monitoring.
Sheriff’s position
LVMPD said Nevada law requires the sheriff to make an independent safety determination before any person is placed on electronic monitoring. The department said it reviewed Sanchez-Lopez’s history and concluded electronic monitoring would pose an unreasonable risk to public safety, even though the Justice Court had approved it as part of pretrial release.
In a new statement, Metro said the Justice Court is now threatening contempt proceedings against McMahill for refusing to transfer Sanchez-Lopez into its electronic monitoring program.
Governor Joe Lombardo released a statement on X expressing support for McMahill.
What’s next
LVMPD and the sheriff are asking the Nevada Supreme Court to cancel the Feb. 5 order, stop any contempt action based on it, and prevent similar orders in cases where the sheriff has rejected electronic monitoring for safety reasons. No hearing date has been set before the Supreme Court.
A separate Justice Court hearing in the case remains scheduled for Thursday.
Fox 5 has reached out to the District Attorney’s Office, the Public Defender’s Office, and the Justice Court for on-camera comment.
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