Las Vegas Crime Roundup: Suspected Prostitute Allegedly Steals $25K, Rolex at Cosmopolitan

Posted on: August 30, 2023, 01:48h. 

Last updated on: September 11, 2023, 02:36h.

Ed Silverstein @casinoorgedsilv Read More
Expertise: Legal, Tribal Gaming.

A 23-year-old reputed prostitute was arrested last week for allegedly swiping $25K in cash and a Rolex watch, valued at $30K, while at The Cosmopolitan Las Vegas two years ago.

MGM
Cosmopolitan Las Vegas, seen above. A woman was recently arrested for crimes committed on the property two years ago. (Image: Las Vegas Sun)

Jaydn Nicole Edwards was charged with theft, conspiracy to commit theft, and a probation violation on August 22. She was booked at the Clark County Detention Center, where she remained as of Wednesday. Her probation status will be addressed in a court hearing next week.

Police revealed Edwards and another woman, identified as Quansae Rutlegde entered a hotel room at The Cosmopolitan accompanied by three men on Sept. 9, 2021. Once there, they ate and drank alcohol before one of the men asked another man to take his $25K in cash, a check for $35K, and the Rolex to his sister’s hotel room for safekeeping, Las Vegas TV station KLAS reported.

The man agreed, putting the money and watch into his pants pocket. But when he got into the hallway, one of the women propositioned him, and they went into the hotel room, where the two had sex before the man fell asleep. When he woke up, the man carrying the cash and watch realized the items were missing and notified local police.

Police Caution ‘Trick Roll’

Edwards and Rutlegde were identified as suspects after police checked the hotel’s surveillance video and located their fingerprints at the property. Officers realized the theft was part of a scheme known as a “trick roll,” according to Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) officers.

Rutlegde was charged with theft and conspiracy to commit theft. LVMPD officers also did a background check on Edwards, who was previously arrested for prostitution, theft, and trespassing, according to KLAS.

In March, she pled guilty to attempted grand larceny, the report added.

Murder for Hire Plot

A 45-year-old contractor was arrested recently after allegedly paying an undercover cop to kidnap and kill one man and murder another. The first intended victim was having sex with the suspect’s wife, the man claimed.

On August 23, Mario Valdez was charged with soliciting to commit murder and soliciting to commit kidnapping or arson, according to Las Vegas TV station KLAS. He remained in custody at the Clark County Detention Center as of Wednesday. His bail was set at $20K, and he’s scheduled to appear in court next month.

On August 16,  a confidential informant told a Metro detective that Valdez asked that a man be kidnapped and murdered in exchange for cash, KLAS reported.

As part of the police investigation, an undercover officer posed as a hitman. He met with Valdez and said he would kill the intended target, who was described as Valdez’s ex-employee, in exchange for an initial $4K payment, with a later payment of $2K.

Valdez told the undercover cop to ask the intended target about a chain and jewelry and if he had sex with his wife, police said. Valdez also wanted the killer to threaten to castrate the intended victim’s son so that he would tell the truth, according to KLAS.

“The [undercover officer] asked specifically how he wanted the murder to happen and if he wanted him to cut off one of the victim’s ears to give to Valdez as a keepsake,” according to a Metro arrest report. “Valdez replied he would like an ear but would not want to be contacted during the act due to concern of it being traced, meaning the murder could be tracked back to Valdez.”

Valdez also wanted the murder-for-hire killing recorded, police said.

The victim’s family included relatives in Mexico, and Valdez suggested to the undercover cop they could be harmed.

Valdez later told the undercover cop he wanted him to murder the second man. It’s unclear why Valdez wanted the second victim dead, but Valdez wanted “the homicide to look like a robbery gone wrong,” police said.