LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Exclusive body camera footage reveals the actions of a Las Vegas city marshal whose conduct has led to three lawsuits against the city, costing taxpayers big bucks amid accusations of jurisdictional overreach, abuse of power, and excessive force.
I first broke this story a year ago as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged marshal misconduct. Now, I have obtained the body camera footage showing the encounter.
WATCH | Exclusive body camera footage reveals controversial traffic stop and arrest by Las Vegas city marshal
Las Vegas city marshals are trained to de-escalate encounters with the public for both officer and public safety. However, the video shows Marshal Sergio Guzman appearing to do the opposite.
On April 29, 2023, just before 11 p.m., Guzman stopped a car in a residential neighborhood in West Las Vegas near Lake Mead Boulevard, rather than at a city park or building.
Athar Haseebullah, executive director of the ACLU of Nevada, represents the driver in this case.
"We represent an individual client in this specific case who was very much harmed by what happened on the date in question," Haseebullah said. "I'm not exactly sure why they have marshals doing traffic enforcement — why they would even allow that to happen."
State law, city policy, a legal opinion from the marshals' own union, a Supreme Court brief filed by the city attorney, and City Police Chief Jason Potts all describe the jurisdiction and authority of Las Vegas city marshals as limited to real property owned, leased, or controlled by the city.
"We are a limited jurisdiction department," Potts said in a YouTube video where he's being interviewed by former Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman. "We have limited jurisdiction, so we typically just focus in on our parks and our facilities and our, you know, property," Potts told Goodman.
Despite this, Guzman conducted a traffic stop on Adelante Avenue in a gated community, claiming the driver was slow to stop. Instead of approaching the driver, Guzman began the encounter by yelling at him.
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Guzman: "Hey! Turn off the car! Turn the car off!"
Downes-Covington: "The car is (expletive) off!"
Then, Guzman gave instructions without explanations.
Guzman: "I want you to roll down the four windows for me."
Downes-Covington: "For what?"
Guzman: "Because I'm telling you to do so."
Downes-Covington: "Why?"
Guzman: "You want me to pull you out the car? I'll pull you out the car."
Downes-Covington opened the door, holding his keys, and put his hands up as Guzman continued shouting commands.
"Don't put the (expletive) window up when I'm telling you! Let me see your hands! Walk to the front of my car! You're not listening to me!" Guzman shouted.
Downes-Covington went to the police car and put his hands on the hood.
"Face forward! I'm not playing this game with you," Guzman said.
"It's not a game! I got the right to look at you! I need to see you, too!" Downes-Covington said.
As Downes-Covington tried to calm things down, Guzman kept escalating, never explaining why he pulled Downes-Covington over or what he was suspected of doing wrong.
Downes-Covington: "Relax! Relax!"
Guzman: "Put your hands behind your back or you're getting tased!"
Downes-Covington: "Look where my hands are at!"
Guzman: "Oh, now you're doing it! Now you're doing it! Now you put it back! Stop tensing up!"
Downes-Covington: "What is wrong with you, dude?!"
Guzman: "At this point you're being placed under arrest."
Downes-Covington: "For what?!"
Guzman didn't answer. Then, he yellled, "Stop pushing me!" at Downes-Covington, and threw the handcuffed man to the ground.
"Yo, neighbors! Help me! Yo! Ahh! Ahhh! Yo, help me!" Downes-Covington cried.
A neighbor stopped and promised to be a witness.
"I know where you live, bro. I know you. I got you. I'll be watching," the neighbor said.
Guzman called dispatch to report he had someone in custody, claiming the suspect was resisting.
Guzman: "I gave you one command! That's all you had to do!"
Downes-Covington: "Sir, you came out mad aggressive! Do you realize I'm Cedric Crear's liaison? Do you realize that? Do you realize that?"
Cedric Crear was the Ward 5 City Councilman at the time. Downes-Covington was and still is a City of Las Vegas employee, now holding the title of senior management analyst with the City Clerk's Office.
While waiting for backup, Guzman held Downes-Covington on the ground.
Downes-Covington: "If you could, could you please get your knee off my knee, please?"
Guzman: "It's not on your knee. It's not on you."
Downes-Covington: "I'm asking you respectfully. It's causing me discomfort. That's all I'm asking you. Thank you."
Soon, at least seven city marshal vehicles arrived on the scene.
"What the (expletive) is going on?" an unidentified female marshal said.
"Whoa! Whoa! Relax!" Downes-Covington said, as the female marshal rushed toward him while he was still face down on the ground.
When I first reported on this incident in April 2025, I asked the ACLU about the heavy response for an alleged traffic violation.
"Seven squad cars for one person who allegedly didn't stop at a stop sign?" I asked. "How do you make sense of that?"
"Well, look, the reality is that when you have officers — especially law enforcement agencies — that act in a way that avoids all levels of accountability, like in this instance with the City Marshals, it sort of is on brand," Haseebullah said.
In the body camera video, Downes-Covington says, "Can we stop acting like you didn't get out the car dumb aggressive?"
"You didn't stop when you saw my lights," Guzman responded.
"I rolled off the street and because I live here, I came in," Downes-Covington explained.
City records show the in-service training required for marshals to keep their peace officer certification includes a class that focuses on conducting traffic stops professionally and respectfully.
In a June 2025 memo to City Department of Public Safety employees, Potts described a Police2Peace initiative emphasizing problem-solving and conflict resolution over arrest and enforcement.
Procedural justice training documents also instruct focusing on fairness, transparency, neutrality of voice, and respect in every encounter.
"City worker and he's gonna really tense up and fight with me," Guzman said to another female marshal at the scene.
There is no indication in any of Guzman's body camera footage that Downes-Covington tried to fight him.
"Hey! No one else talk to him!" Guzman called out to the other marshals on scene.
After Downes-Covington was taken to jail that night, he was transferred to University Medical Center due to pain. He was then cited and released from custody while at the hospital.
"There was no criminal case that ended up moving forward," Haseebullah said.
Downes-Covington filed a lawsuit accusing the city of encouraging unconstitutional policing and instructing marshals to exceed their authority and jurisdiction by conducting traffic stops on city roadways.
On April 1, the case was settled, costing taxpayers $20,000. In a statement, the city said it is "pleased to reach a resolution to litigation and in this case no portion of the settlement was for lost wages, injuries, damages or an admission of liability."
"The underlying legality, though, of what we're discussing within this case — specifically the marshals' authority to engage in, effectively, law enforcement activity beyond its own boundaries, beyond public property within the city of Las Vegas or parks — things of that nature — remains unsettled," Haseebullah said.
Last December, a case of mistaken identity at the Fremont Street Experience cost taxpayers six figures. The city settled the lawsuit resulting from that November 2023 incident out of court for $150,000. Guzman and other city marshals were sued for false arrest, racial profiling, and excessive force.
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Haseebullah expressed concern over the repeated incidents.
"I think it raises questions when you have back-to-back scenarios that involve the same types of conduct. And there's probably more that have happened historically and others that'll end up coming forward. It really does raise questions about what they're doing," Haseebullah said.
Mayor Shelley Berkley previously stated that the city marshals have her full support.
"I'm very keenly aware of these lawsuits. I think they are frivolous, and I hope they are dismissed because I think our marshals do a great job," Berkley said.
"I don't agree with the mayor's position on the use of the marshals. I think she's also savvy enough to recognize this is a losing issue for her and for the city, and it would be best for them to stay out of enforcement of this nature," Haseebullah said.
A third lawsuit against Guzman and the city marshals is currently pending in federal court. That case, filed by motorist Derek Myers, claims Guzman illegally arrested him on the US-95 freeway. His attorney is seeking class-action status. The ACLU says the case may hold the key to getting a court ruling on marshal jurisdiction.
"I'm hoping the city gets its own practices together before it results in more litigation later on," Haseebullah said.
Downes-Covington still works for the City of Las Vegas. One of the conditions of his settlement is that the city not retaliate against him in any way in connection to his lawsuit.
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Last September, I learned Guzman was placed on desk duty after the mistaken identity case on Fremont Street. The city would not confirm Guzman's current assignment but did confirm he is still a deputy city marshal.
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