Las Vegas man accused of luring children has history of sex crimes against children
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) – A man accused of approaching children on their way to school in Summeriln and forcefully grabbing and inappropriately touching a child has previously been accused of similar crimes.
Nicholas Donovan, 27, was arrested on multiple felony charges which include lewdness with a child under 14, coercion with force, and kidnapping of a minor in connection with a Jan. 30 incident near John W. Bonner Elementary School.
On Tuesday, officers said they received a report of a suspicious man approaching children near a school in the 700 block of Crestdale Lane near North Hualapai Way and North Town Center Drive. When officers arrived they found Donovan and said they learned he approached children on their way to school and attempted to lure them by requesting help.
According to police, Donovan is also suspected to have forcefully grabbed one of the juveniles and inappropriately touched them.
The 8 News Now Investigators have learned that Donovan was arrested for lewdness with a child under 14 in 2017 and later agreed to a plea deal which resulted in probation and a child abuse charge. Donovan was accused in several incidents in 2017.
A child had reported that he approached her at Summerlin Library and told her to open her mouth while he unzipped his pants. A librarian intervened and called the police. It was later learned that Donovan was accused of approaching several underage girls at the library that day. Metro Police did not respond that day due to a plane crash, according to court records.
Donovan was also accused of grabbing an underage girl outside of church.
Later that month, police said that Donovan approached a boy in the bathroom of a Target store in the Summerlin area, grabbed him, and told him to open his mouth.
The report said when the child asked if he could leave, Donovan said, “Open your mouth wider.” Metro said the child told them he kept repeating that phrase over and over again before eventually touching himself in front of the child.
A family member noticed the child had been in the restroom a while, went to check on him and the child revealed what happened. By the time the family tried to locate Donovan, he was gone.
Police obtained surveillance video from the store and released Donovan’s images to the public. A store manager reported that a couple of months before the incident, a father said that Donovan touched his 5-year-old daughter’s face as he talked to her.
In 2020, Donovan agreed to a plea deal in which he completed a mental health program and received probation. He was later honorably discharged from probation, according to court records. Donovan is not currently on the sex offender registry.
Before his 2017 arrest, Donovan had been an Explorer at the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Through the Explorer program, teens volunteer and learn more about police work.
At this time, detectives believe there may be additional victims. Anyone who may have been
a victim or has information about these crimes is urged to contact the Summerlin Area
Command, Patrol Investigation Section at 702-828-9457. To remain anonymous, contact
Crime Stoppers by phone at 702-385-5555, or online.
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