Political War in Nevada County

LAS VEGAS (CN) - A political war has broken out in Nye County, where a sheriff's detective who says he was falsely accused of using his police powers to influence county politics has shot back against the county's district attorney, with a $3 million civil rights lawsuit.

The Nye County seat, Tonopah, is between Las Vegas and Carson City.

Det. David Boruchowitz claims he was arrested as retaliation for investigating misappropriation allegations against defendant District Attorney Robert Beckett, and for arresting another sheriff candidate and the under-age daughter of a third candidate.

In his federal complaint, Boruchowitz says he executed a search warrant in March 2010 against an out-of-state officer, Robert Holmes, who was allegedly abusing his badge and threatening customers of a casino with arrest.

Holmes was a candidate for Nye County Sheriff.

Then in April, Boruchowitz broke up a party and arrested several drunken juveniles, including the daughter of Scott Cobel, who also was a sheriff's candidate at the time, according to the complaint.

Nye County Auditor Dan McArthur then accused Beckett of misappropriation of county funds, and Boruchowitz obtained a warrant to seize certain files.

Beckett was arrested and charged with malfeasance, embezzlement, 20 counts of fraud and 20 counts of misconduct in public office, according to contemporary press reports. Beckett allegedly disbursed money from a bad-check program to programs that benefited his family members.

Upon his release, Beckett tried to gather evidence to support criminal charges against Boruchowitz, the detective says.

Boruchowitz says he was charged with illegally kicking in a door at a home where teen-agers were partying, of searching the teens and forcing them to take Breathalyzer tests without a warrant.

Charges against Boruchowitz were dismissed in October 2010. A week later, Beckett appeared in court to enter a no-contest plea to a misdemeanor criminal charge of obstructing a public official, according to Boruchowitz's complaint.

Also named as defendants are Nye County Special Prosecutor Conrad Claus and Deputy District Attorney Robert Bettinger.

Boruchowitz seeks at least $3 million for malicious prosecution, false arrest, civil conspiracy and defamation.

He is represented by Marc Picker, of Reno.

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