LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A Las Vegas Metropolitan Police officer accused of groping a woman living out of her van during a predawn encounter faces only an abuse of power charge — a response his alleged victim's attorney calls inadequate and potentially corrupt.
WATCH | Darcy Spears has new details after Channel 13 obtained an arrest report in connection to this event:
Officer Manuel Ramangmou, known in court documents as "Officer Manny," is accused of abusing his authority during a May 9 encounter with a woman identified only as April outside One Kick's Gym at Sunset and Pecos in the early morning hours.
April lives in her van. She told authorities she awoke to knocking she believed was security, but instead found an armed, uniformed Metro officer at her driver's side door.
The arrest report, citing body camera footage, shows Ramangmou ordered April out of her vehicle. She was wearing only a sheer nightgown and underwear at the time.
"And she's terrified. Again, my client is homeless. She lives out of her vehicle," attorney Carl Arnold said.
Arnold is suing Ramangmou, alleging excessive force, sexual battery, false imprisonment, harassment and stalking.
April did not initially report the incident to police.
"This was a police officer that did this act. Her whole thinking was—she goes and reports it to the police, who's going to respond? Him? Somebody else? Are they really going to do something about it? She's under the impression the police always protect themselves, but there is no reason for her to put herself in further danger," Arnold said.
Metro learned of the incident when the gym's property owner called Internal Affairs "to report an attempted sexual assault" that she had on surveillance video, describing the interaction as "highly inappropriate for a police officer stop," according to court records.
Police records show Ramangmou, responding to a suspicious vehicle call, collected April's personal information — including her cell phone number — then made repeated remarks about her appearance and asked for a hug, leading her behind bushes and out of view of security cameras.
"He was either in that area before, or he was actively looking for cameras when he was making his decision to go ahead and try to have sex with my client," Arnold said.
In fear, April told authorities she agreed to a hug, but alleges Ramangmou groped her and asked for a kiss, which she refused.
"She felt forced that she had to do this to be let go and to get out of a dangerous situation," Arnold said.
Arnold is also suing the department, claiming in the lawsuit that Metro failed in its hiring process. He notes alleged prior incidents of Ramangmou asking women for inappropriate contact at previous jobs. The arrest report shows Ramangmou "said when he was previously employed at the Cosmopolitan and Palms Hotels & Casinos, he recalled three (3) instances when he asked for a hug."
"At a minimum, it's very negligent," Arnold said of Metro's hiring process. "They should have done more extensive background checks."
Detectives note Ramangmou's body camera was on during the initial contact but turned off before he re-approached April and led her to the bushes. Records show he texted her three times that same day, including one text that said, "Sorry if I scared you lol". He texted a fourth time a few days later. The report shows April never responded to any of Officer Ramangmou's text messages.
Investigators say he initially lied about the encounter, only admitting details after learning there was video. He "agreed April may have felt like she had to give (him) a hug and (was) not free to leave (because) his patrol car blocked her van." He admitted police academy training warns officers not to "interact with the public in such a manner, asking for hugs and kisses."
"This guy is mentally sick for him to be a police officer and then to conduct himself this way," Arnold said.
Metro's Criminal Investigations Section determined that although Officer Ramangmou's "initial contact was lawful, (he) used his authority as a peace officer to unlawfully prolong and re-initiate contact with April after deactivating his BWC (body worn camera), during a time when she reasonably believed she was still detained and not free to leave. Under the pretense of official authority, he engaged in conduct that injured her personal rights by directing her to a concealed area, initiating unwanted physical contact, and requesting further intimate acts. His conduct created fear, emotional distress, and a sense of sexual violation for April."
So far, the only charge Ramangmou faces is abuse of power.
"That does not make sense. This was clearly a battery with the intent to commit sexual assault. And so for them to undercharge that, to me, it makes it look like the police and the DA are colluding to protect this individual," Arnold said.
Arnold says he believes there may be other victims and is calling on Metro to release Ramangmou's mugshot so others can come forward. Metro has not responded to requests for the mugshot or to questions about whether more charges are coming. I also called and texted Ramangmou, but he has not replied.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
