A report says Las Vegas police wanted to arrest former CCSD trustee Katie Williams | Training

Although Katie Williams was a member of the Clark County School Board, which required her to live in her district by law, she moved to Nebraska back in March, according to an investigation by the Metropolitan Police Department.

A Metro investigative report published Wednesday in the Review-Journal outlined how law enforcement discovered that Williams, who was elected to the board in November 2020, no longer lived in the district where she was elected.

Despite living out of state, Williams continued to serve on the board, with police finding 11 instances in which she “influenced decisions, made motions and/or was a deciding vote,” the report said.

As a board member/trustee, Williams also collected $750 per month.

As a result, critics such as the Clark County Education Association teachers union as well as members of the public have repeatedly called for an audit of the votes she has cast since moving out of state, citing the fact that she has a record of being part of a decisive 4-3 party Voting bloc.

According to the report, Williams only returned to Las Vegas to fulfill her military duties with the National Guard.

In the Sept. 19 report, police recommended arresting Williams for unlawful exercise of power.

Williams resigned on Sept. 11 after Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson sent her a letter a week earlier asking her to resign because she was found not to be a Nevada resident. Williams disputed the letter and said in a statement that she lives in Nevada but resigned anyway. The board plans to fill her seat by October 30.

According to court records, there were no charges against Williams, and neither she nor prosecutors responded to the Review-Journal.

Gretna, Neb

Police determined that Williams lived with her fiancé and child in Gretna, Nebraska, by looking at a variety of information, including Williams' social media posts, her mailing information, bank records, her child's school attendance and other sources , the report says.

Questions about Williams' residency arose last spring when five trustees asked the district attorney to order Williams to resign her seat because she frequently attended board meetings by telephone and posted on social media.

The union has also accused board president Evelyn Garcia Morales of knowing Williams was not a resident and covering it up.

“It is important for the public to know that governing bodies do not have jurisdiction over who can and cannot be members,” Garcia Morales said in an interview with the Review-Journal before the report’s release. “I can't look at another member and say, 'You don't live here.' “You are no longer a board member. If that were the case, we would never get anything done.”

On Sept. 6, trustee Linda Cavazos asked Garcia Morales to add an addendum to the Sept. 12 board meeting about how to proceed with the district attorney's letter, according to emails obtained by the Review-Journal.

Garcia Morales responded that they would not discuss the situation at that meeting, but that they would talk about it at another meeting.

“Furthermore, this item is not considered an emergency,” Garcia Morales wrote.

“Frustrated and disgusted”

Cavazos replied that Garcia Morales' answer was unacceptable.

“The community is frustrated and outraged that an elected official does not appear to have to follow even the basic rules that our students must follow,” Cavazos wrote.

When asked Wednesday whether the board planned to reconsider Williams' votes, Garcia Morales referred the Review-Journal to CCSD's communications department.

The district said trustees are making progress to fill Williams' seat.

“The Clark County School District Board of Trustees was not provided a copy of the investigative report,” the CCSD said in a statement. “With the release of the investigative report by LVMPD, the case appears to be closed and the board will move forward with the process of appointing vacancies.”

“No vehicles or people observed”

Police said Williams' fiancé purchased a home in Gretna, Nebraska, on March 18, 2024.

Gretna Public Schools told investigators that Williams registered her daughter for the upcoming school year on March 11. Her fiancé provided a notarized letter indicating that Williams and the child would be living with him starting March 19. The letter acts as a statement. According to police, Williams was a resident of Nebraska.

Williams also changed her address with the United States Postal Service on April 13, effective April 15.

According to the report, Williams and her ex-husband still own a home in North Las Vegas. According to the report, police monitored the home and conducted four surveillance operations from June 5 to 11.

“During these surveillance operations, no vehicles or individuals were observed exiting or exiting the residence,” the report states.

While it is legal for a trustee to have more than one residence, state law requires a trustee to have a primary residence in their county.

Police also cited several social media posts by Williams as evidence of their move.

On March 7, Williams posted on Facebook that she had “taken some steps.” She also said, “I can't quite announce that yet.” According to the report, Williams used the hashtags #MoveInSilence and #LifeChanges.

Police said she worked at Berry Law in Nebraska, which does not have an office in Nevada. The law firm told the Review-Journal on Wednesday that it could neither confirm nor deny whether Williams still worked there.

Contact Katie Futterman at [email protected].