LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The ousted former head of the Nevada Department of Corrections is being accused of trying to intimidate and extort the state after apparently demanding money from the Governor's Office.
The former Department of Corrections Director Charles Daniels held a press conference on Friday morning to discuss his "unjust" firing in September by state officials after an inmate escaped.
"Governor Sisolak publicly suggested that he had concerns there was a cover-up to hide that escape," said Daniels.
Daniels claimed that Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak wanted him to change the timeline of events related to the escape of an NDOC inmate. During the time of his resignation, Daniels claimed he had attempted to file a whistleblower report to expose Sisolak's request.
But the governor's office was ready with a statement of their own. Governor Sisolak's Chief of Staff, Yvonna Cancela said Daniels tried to intimidate and extort the state. They say he demanded $1,000,000million dollars of taxpayer funds as part of a "political shakedown.”
Daniel’s request was denied by the governor’s office saying the governor quote, “will not be intimidated or extorted for opportunistic financial gain."
Cancela also claimed that Daniels was solely "motivated by the upcoming and nationally watched election" which pits Sisolak, a Democrat, against Republican Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo.
"The Governor's Office and the State will not have this matter politicized," Cancela wrote. "Furthermore, the Office will not be intimidated or extorted for opportunistic financial gain."
Governor Sisolak asked Daniels to resign on September 30th after Porfirio Duarte Herrera, one of the convicted killers of the 2007 Luxor bombing, escaped from Southern Desert Correctional Center on Sept 23. He was located and arrested again in Vegas on Sept 28.
The department of corrections agreed there was a multi-day lapse before escape protocols were launched, calling it "the worst possible breach."
Cancela said, "A convicted murderer was in our community for six days before being recaptured. These events were — and remain — unacceptable."
An independent third party will investigate Daniels' allegations, which Cancela refuted in her statement.
