Federal grand jury indicts former Henderson Police detective on charges of smuggling a foreign national into the US

What happened

A grand jury in Las Vegas has indicted Mitchell Wilson, a former Henderson Police detective, on charges connected to smuggling a foreign national into the United States, the Las Vegas Sun reported Friday. The Sun based its report on a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Nevada.

Federal prosecutors allege that Wilson transported the person into the country on Dec. 30, 2024. They also accuse him of hiding the person from law enforcement after the person was inside the U.S. The charges are accusations, and the case is headed toward a jury trial.

The four federal charges

According to the release as reported by the Sun, Wilson faces four counts in the indictment:

• One count of encouraging and inducing illegal entry
• One count of bringing an alien to the U.S. other than at a designated port
• One count of transporting an illegal alien
• One count of harboring an illegal alien

The harboring count lines up with the government's claim that Wilson worked to keep the person hidden from law enforcement after the entry. The other counts relate to the alleged crossing itself and the transportation of the person. Readers can follow other local law enforcement and court coverage in our public safety section.

How the case unfolded

Contact allegedly began in 2023

The release states that communications between Wilson and the foreign national began in October 2023. That is more than a year before the date prosecutors give for the person's entry into the country.

Alleged entry in December 2024

Prosecutors say Wilson brought the person into the U.S. on Dec. 30, 2024. After that, according to the release, he is accused of concealing the person so that law enforcement would not detect them.

Trial set for January 2027

A jury trial is scheduled for Jan. 25, 2027, the Sun reported. The case will be heard before U.S. District Judge Cristina Silva.

What federal officials said

U.S. Attorney's Office

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sigal Chattah of the District of Nevada said in the release, "No one is above the law, especially those who have taken an oath to uphold it." She described the indictment of a former detective as representing "a profound betrayal of the public trust" and of officers who work to secure the borders.

Chattah also said her office is committed to "rooting out corruption at any level." She added that anyone who abuses their badge for personal gain will be held fully accountable, according to the release.

Homeland Security Investigations

Jonathan Sherwin, deputy special agent in charge for Homeland Security Investigations Las Vegas, also commented in the release. He said people who knowingly help others enter the country unlawfully and try to hide them from law enforcement "undermine the integrity of our immigration system."

What the report does not say

The Sun's report does not say when or why Wilson left the Henderson Police Department, or how he knew the foreign national. It also does not identify the person's home country or where the alleged crossing took place.

The report does not say whether Wilson has entered a plea, whether he has a lawyer, or whether the Henderson Police Department has commented. Those details were not part of the account the Sun published from the federal release.

What to watch next

• A jury trial is scheduled for Jan. 25, 2027, before U.S. District Judge Cristina Silva.
• The four federal counts against Wilson remain pending in U.S. District Court in Nevada.