Omaha police arrested 67-year-old Roland Nieves on sexual assault charges this week, and investigators say they believe additional, unidentified victims may still be out there. Officers took Nieves into custody on Tuesday, and the department is now asking anyone who was victimized by him or who has relevant information to come forward.
According to KETV, investigators believe more victims are out there beyond the case that led to Nieves’ arrest. The Omaha Police Department confirmed the arrest in an official statement released Tuesday, directing potential victims or anyone with relevant information to contact the department’s Special Victims Unit at 402-444-5636, according to the Omaha Police Department.
How OPD Handles Sensitive Interviews
The department’s Special Victims Unit doesn’t operate in a vacuum. OPD conducts sexual assault investigations under a formal Trauma Informed Sexual Assault Investigations policy, which instructs officers to use belief-based techniques that account for how trauma can affect a victim’s memory and behavior, per department policy documents obtained through PowerDMS. That approach is meant to reduce the risk of re-traumatizing survivors during interviews, a concern that becomes especially relevant when police are actively trying to encourage additional victims to come forward.
Nebraska law lays out a tiered system for how sexual assault cases like this one could be charged, depending on what investigators ultimately allege. Under Nebraska Revised Statute § 28-319, first-degree sexual assault involving non-consensual sexual penetration is a Class II felony carrying a statutory penalty of 1 to 50 years in prison, according to RAINN. Lesser tiers exist as well: second-degree sexual assault involving non-consensual contact that causes serious personal injury is a Class IIA felony punishable by up to 20 years, while third-degree sexual assault without serious injury is a Class I misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail, per WomensLaw.org.
Where Survivors Can Turn for Help
Local advocacy groups have long worked alongside police in cases like this. Douglas County survivors can seek support through the Women’s Center for Advancement and Heartland Family Service; Heartland Family Service’s 24/7 crisis line is 800-523-3666. That kind of coordinated response has institutional roots: in 2018, Omaha received a $1.9 million federal Sexual Assault Kit Initiative grant, with partnerships involving the Douglas County Attorney’s Office and two women’s organizations…