LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — There are questions surrounding the investigation and eventual reinstatement of John Munoz, the director of Clark County Juvenile Justice Services.
WATCH | Senior Reporter Mary Kielar hears concerns from the union president:
The questions are coming from some of his employees, the Juvenile Justice probation officers.
They brought an anonymous document to fellow officer and union president, Kevin Eppenger, on Aug. 31, who describes the job as dealing with “the county’s most precious resource, which is our youth.”
The document has bulleted questions and claims made by juvenile probation officers, who have concerns about the integrity of the investigation into their boss.
“None of the interviews were recorded by HR or the employees being interviewed,” read one line.
Another said, “Clark County HR investigating a Clark County Director is a clear conflict of interest.”
The county confirms an outside law enforcement investigator worked with their internal HR investigator to conduct the investigation but would not confirm what agency they came from.
“Would you say that your members on the whole respect John Munoz?” senior reporter Mary Kielar asked.
“I think he’s lost that respect due to some of the behaviors and actions," Eppenger answered.
Munoz’s salary is more than $255,000 annually, and a county spokesperson told Channel 13 there's a policy that prohibits unpaid leave during investigations.
“What was felt is kind of like a little betrayal, a little shock,” said Eppenger. "You look at it as a regular employee, if you had that many allegations, you have to assume there was smoke. You can’t tell me that there wasn’t fire.”
When asked about the nature of the allegations against Munoz, Eppenger said, “What I was told was bullying, harassment, and at the end of the day they were just saying that we couldn’t substantiate a lot of these.”
A county spokesperson said the allegations were unsubstantiated, but that a corrective action plan was put in place. It’s unclear what that plan is, and why it’s needed if the claims were unfounded.
“The county and the upper county management owe the department and these officers an explanation,” said Eppenger. “I think that a town hall of some sort where some questions and answers can be had, because everything is just ... they’re hoping that it just goes away.”
“I’m actually going to challenge the county to do a more thorough investigation," he added.
Channel 13 sent the anonymous document Eppenger got to each Clark County commissioner via email for comment.
We previously reported on concerns after four juvenile probation officers found themselves on the wrong side of the law recently.
Plus, a lawsuit filed in April alleges widespread sexual and physical abuse of detained youth by the officers charged with watching over them. Ninety-three survivors claim they were abused at some point between 2001 and 2024.
At that time, Clark County’s now-reinstated director was under investigation. But a county spokesperson told Channel 13 that it was not related to claims made in that lawsuit.
