i'm chris hansen, thanks for watching. this may not be the las vegas you know. this is the underbelly. an underworld filled with criminals, with undercover cops trying to catch the crooks. >> i told him to go [ bleep ] himself. catch me if you can. >> in this episode, police set up a sting, a fake fencing operation for stolen goods.

with hidden cameras rolling, the bad guys unwittingly divulge in full detail how they commit their crimes. then we confront them in jail to dig deeper into the mind of a criminal. >> i've never been caught in a sting operation. >> you're about to be. >> it's real. it's revealing, and it's raw. >> hello. i'm chris hansen. las vegas is a city unlike any other, with glitz and around the clock action. it's no wonder it's been called an adult play ground. the men and women of the las vegas police department tasked with protecting the statesens and tourists alike are presented

with some enormous challenges. and as you'll see, they take those challenges head on. over the course of nearly a year, we were given unprecedented access to several undercover sting operations, specifically designed to take some of the biggest criminals off the streets. until now, a very small percentage of that footage has ever been broadcast. from these "raw" tapes we're able to give you a fascinating look into a rarely seen criminal world. the store front operation is essentially a place where crooks can bring stolen items and sell them. the theory is that there are hundreds, if not thousands of people in this town who make their living by getting up every morning and figuring out a crime to commit. and it's the police who put together a store front operation, a fencing operation, and get word out on the street this is the place to bring

stolen goods, everything from cars to stolen guns to counterfeit money. have the criminals bring in more criminals and essentially identify this huge pool of bad people and ultimately catch them in a sting operation and take them off the street. player in this operation. pretty much he's one of those narratives throughout this entire investigation. he's there for a long time and brings in a lot of vehicles. [ inaudible ] >> tothd >> todd comes in with a virtual used car lot. he's got a chevy, he's got a bentley. this is like a $250,000 car. >> is all this [ bleep ] yours? >> yeah, pretty much.

>> holy [ bleep ]. >> i mean, i don't do them. i just deal with certain people and i need to make a few bucks right now. >> do you have a title for the bentley? >> they got all that. >> todd basically says, hey, i'm not the thief, i'm not stealing these cars. i'm just doing a friend a favor. i know a guy. he's got a care. i know where to take it and sell it. i didn't take the car, i'm just the middleman. >> want to count that out, make sure you're good? >> in spite of claiming he's just the middleman, he does get his cut. he takes a percentage of the money. he comes in with five cars and like within days, he comes in with two more. >> he drove all the way to

california. >> so right then these guys know that this is somebody they need to focus on. >> it's got dual batteries, [ bleep ] all over. >> but he's very likely connected to other crooks in town who they want to take off the street. there is a very noticeable change in todd, as you follow him through this undercover investigation. and it's all captured on video. you know, you can tell he's having problems in the beginning. but as time goes by, you can see that he's more agitated, more anxious, almost as if, you know, he's suffering from an addiction that is slowly choking him. >> i think when investigators

see somebody like that who is going downhill or having serious problems, yeah, there's a threat and they do get kernd about that, because this person has less of a grasp on reality. they might be more desperate, might be more strung out, they might be going through withdrawal. when you mix that all together, it's a dangerous situation and something that they factor into every deal they do. are these dangerous people who come in here? >> because of the nature of this operation, we blur the faces of the officers for their protection. >> absolutely. we got people selling guns and people bragging out doing home invasions, burglaries. we never know who you're dealing with. >> how much background do you have on these people before they come in, if any? >> when they come in, none. >> do any of them get suspicious? >> absolutely. i've had people tell me that i must be a cop, because i'm too

tall. my teeth are too white. i'm in too good of shape. they sometimes ask you questions about drug use and different things like that to see if you know the street lingo and that sort of thing. a lot of people get really suspicious. but they all come back. >> and they'll take the money. >> absolutely. greed. they come back again and again and again. >> after guys like todd essentially are caught on hidden camera admitting their crimes, they're allowed to go out and continue committing these crimes, because the police want to get as many people and as much evidence as possible to build a strong case. they want to infiltrate this criminal world and let this investigation run for as long as it continues to be productive without endangering anybody. but after nearly a year when cops decide to shut down the fake fencing operation and round up the suspects, i'm there to

confront them, to find out just what they were thinking. what effect does it have on you when you inject speed? coming up, todd in custody. and the front is open for business. >> word is out on the street and you'll meet some creative criminals. watch raw video, dangerous situations. understand how the criminal mind works. >> i've never hurt nobody fiz clichlt i don't have any violence on my record. on the feed

because a chicken is what it eats. [ jim ] this seal verifies we feed my fresh all-natural chickens an all-vegetarian diet including corn, soybeans, and marigolds. no animal by-products. no meat and bone meal. when you put my chicken on the table, you know where it came from.

this storefront operated for the better part of a year. some 40 criminals, 100 crimes.

very successful. once the cops shut down the front, they now have to stage this massive operation to round up all the people they've caught committing crimes. >> tell whitney i love her. >> okay, get in. >> and they have to do it almost instantaneously. word travels fast in this community. so they have to have dozens of officers swoop in at the same time at multiple locations. they bring them all in to be interrogated. some we got a chance to talk to coming in. some we got a chance to talk to after they had been interviewed. hey, todd, how are you doing? we're doing a story on an investigation conducted by vegas metro police. >> okay. >> and there is evidence you were bringing in stolen cars.

to be sold. do you know anything about that? >> no. >> have you ever sold any stolen cars before? >> no. >> do you know anything about stolen car rings? >> no. >> todd starts out denying that he had any involvement in any sort of stolen car ring. but he does admit to getting himself into trouble. what are you hoping for? >> i'm hoping i get a chance at my life again. i spent -- i went to prison for some drug charges. i got out. i did a real stringent drug program. i did really well. i went back to work at the union. was doing really well. >> and what type of work were you doing? >> i'm a carpet layer. i've been doing it for 14 years. i'm really good at what i do. i got out, did three years, was sober, going to meetings, doing really well. lo and behold, i never slammed it, intravenously. i never really messed with that

at all. >> talking about heroin? >> no, speed. >> you mean injecting speed? >> yeah. it's the worst drug i ever experienced in my life. >> who injects speed? you don't hear about it that much. you do? is that common? >> yeah, pretty much. this past eight months has been [ bleep ] up man, been [ bleep ] up. i quit going to work. first it started with the meetings. next thing you know i'm drinking. the next thing you know i'm smoking. the next thing you know i'm slamming it out of the blue. and i don't do that. that's not me. that's not who i am right now. >> what effect does it have on you when you inject speed into your body? i mean it's got to be a really intense high. >> yeah, it's bad. you know, i'm not that person. i am not that [ bleep ] person. i am not that person. you know, the person i am, i got three children that are almost grown, you know. i mean, i really took care of my family, you know what i mean? and this past eight or nine

months of my life has been -- i'm glad to be in jail, but i'm not glad because i did some things that i'm paying for right now. i'm sure i deserve it. i can't say that -- i can't expect to not be punished for it. but at the same time, you know, i need help. >> i need to go back over the first part of our conversation, because there is evidence that you did get involved in selling some stolen cars. in an undercover sting operation. >> i wasn't no part of an undercover sting operation. >> i'm not saying you helped the police with a sting operation. you've been caught in a sting operation. >> i've never been caught in a sting operation. >> well, you're about to be. can i show you some videotape? >> hell, i ain't trying to give up nothing. i don't know who you are. the first time i ever seen you

anything here. i don't know [ bleep ] about you. >> look at me. >> you look like you're in tough shape there. >> in sad [ bleep ] shape. >> where did you get the cars you brought in? >> i didn't steal the cars. i don't know where the cars with from. i was just the middle man. >> how did you get the cars is what i'm asking? >> people -- >> somebody steals the car. >> yeah, somebody steals the cars. look -- >> and they come to you because you are known on the street as somebody who can fence the car. >> yeah, i didn't ever drive the cars, i didn't do anything with cars. i knew these people, i met these people through somebody else. >> so you were the middle man. >> i was just trying to make a couple of bucks, man. >> how much did you make off of all that? >> not much. >> i mean it looks like he was counting off a pretty big stack. >> i didn't make [ bleep ]. that wasn't my money. >> so what you take your little

take off of it and give it to the thief basically? >> basically, there was only a couple of times i actually had my hands on the money first. but for the most part -- wow. >> how did you even know to go to the storefront to begin with? how did you find out about it? just word of mouth? >> wow. >> you see what i'm saying? how did you even know to go there? >> a friend of mine. >> a friend of yours? >> not even a friend. >> just a guy you knew? >> a guy i just met. >> how many times do you suppose you went to that storefront? >> my god, i don't know. four or five times. >> four or five times. and each time you were the middle man in a deal to sell a stolen car. >> uh-huh. i'm struggling to get by and get back out of what i got myself into.

like right now, until i came down here for this, i was really thinking i had a chance in my life again. but apparently i'm not going to have. >> who do you blame for this? >> i can't blame nobody for any of this but myself. >> so where do you go from here? >> i don't know. probably prison for a long time. >> is that the right thing? >> i deserve to be punished. i'm sure of it. >> you have a guy like this in todd, who was pretty confident, cocky, if you will, when you see him on the investigative video from the storefront. and now they know they're caught. they've seen themselves on video. they're behind bars. they're a little less brave now.

and i think in many cases, they've been locked up for long enough to clean themselves up from whatever drugs they might have been using. and have kind of a clear look at things, and realize how messed up they are. and how they messed up. and i think they come to this realization in realtime as i'm talking to them. it's a very emotional moment for them. >> all right, well listen. todd, i appreciate you talking to me. >> how much trouble am i in? >> todd pleads guilty to several charges, including burglary and he is sentenced to 9 1/2 to 26 years in prison. coming up, a man comes into the

front with a talent they never expected. >> a seminar on how to make counterfeit $100 bills. to my knowledge, that's never been seen on television before. but things go from riveting to risky in an instant. >> you can see carrying a handgun. >> when "vegas undercover raw" continues. hi, we're looking to save some money on our car insurance. great! at progressive, you can compare rates side by side, so you get the same coverage, often for less. wow! that is huge! [ disco playing ] and this is to remind you that you could save hundreds! yeah, that'll certainly stick with me. we'll take it. go, big money! i mean, go. it's your break, honey. same coverage, more savings. now, that's progressive. call or click today. fiber one. uh, forgot jack's cereal. [ jack ] what's for breakfast?

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we're in an industrial park in the shadow of the las vegas strip. and investigators made this set if you will, expressly for this investigation. typically the crooks come in. the deal goes down right here. the investigator is on that side, posing as the fence. and they negotiate, whether it's for a stolen car or a piece of electronics. there is a camera hidden right here there is another camera hidden right there. here in this room, it's really pretty much the control room. the sergeant sits here, and of course this is the investigator screen. they can see what is going on.

you have multiple monitors here that show what the cameras are seeing outside. >> do you want a beer? i think i got a warm fosters or a bud light. >> rusty is right near the top of all the visitors to the storefront. rusty's talent is unique because most of the other people caught up in this sting operation were merely fencing stolen items. rusty had a skill here. >> the one he just showed you, you showed me was great. >> perfect. >> you know what i'm saying? >> he is a counterfeiter. what rusty does basically is he takes a $5 bill, bleaches it with household chemicals, basically, and then uses a copier to create a $100 bill. >> he is a -- he is a chemist. he came up with the chemical

reaction and he pours this [ bleep ] and throws [ bleep ] in there and 15 minutes later, it's about [ bleep ] clean. >> basically, rusty is trying to cut a deal to sell the undercover investigators counterfeit money. so he wants to bring in $10,000 worth of counterfeit $100 bills and sell them to the undercover investigators for basically 35 cents on the dollar. so he would take $3500 in real money for ten grand in counterfeit hundreds. >> what do you have on here right now? >> $2,000. >> what are you looking to get it all in? >> i don't know, whatever. that's just spare money. >> really? >> he says look, you want to test them out? here is $2,000 worth of counterfeit 100s. >> if you want to do 25 on those, do 2500. >> check it out if you want to do more business, i'm around. >> if you have a [ bleep ] with that. >> trade them out?

>> you can get rid of them. i can get rid of them. >> the police can tell they're counterfeit. but he is very detailed about how to use his counterfeit money, where to use it, and where not to use it. >> [ bleep ]. convenience store, whatever, playing the slots, and i'll cash out, out the first couple hundred dollars. and give me the money right there and turn around and walk away. give me a pack of cigarettes and throw it down. they just gave them to you. so they don't think to sit there and look at them. and i haven't had one problem. >> right at the moment when rusty gives the investigators the $2,000 in fake hundreds, for a second or two, they had a hard time discerning which are counterfeit and which are real. >> slight of hands. is this his or mine. >> i got one -- the real money. >> you want to get your drink. >> they had good evidence on

rusty right then and there. and they broached the subject of him coming back and not just giving them more counterfeit money, but selling them the equipment needed to do the counterfeiting on their own. >> well, the next question, once we build up trust and this starts going smooth, will we ever get to see how it's done? i'm curious. >> had rusty never shown up again, he would have still been arrested for selling counterfeit $100 bills. >> i make so much money. >> but that wasn't the last of rusty. ultimately, they struck a deal. rusty is going to bring in the equipment, do a demonstration, and get like $1500. so rusty is due back in like 30 minutes. >> yes. >> remember, for the undercover officers, this is dangerous business. and we blur their faces for their protection. after his last visit, rusty told the cops he was carrying a gun. but it wasn't just the gun that alarmed them.

>> now the last time he was here, he had a handgun. >> yes. >> and an extra clip, which was loaded with so-called cop killer bullets. >> that's the terms he used. >> and what kind of heartburn does a give you knowing he could be coming in once again armed? >> well, we're assuming that most criminals coming in here are armed. we were prepared then to do what we had to do if the threat presented itself. if it does tonight, we'll do what we have to do. >> he is coming in right now. >> rusty comes back to do this demonstration. and we're all a little tense because of this fear on the part of the investigators that he might be armed. >> a gun right there. when you zoom in the cameras to his waistband, you can see that rusty appears to be carrying a handgun. you can see the butt of the gun right there. which is why they're taking some extra precautions tonight. >> so we're all on edge. but he just drinking a beer, having a cigarette, goes through

the whole process. never seen anything like it. it's fascinating. >> now rusty is showing them how to rub the ink off the $5 bill. then they'll use that to make the $100 counterfeit. >> going to walk away with three grand. >> literally a seminar on how to make counterfeit $100 bills. you can see the piece of paper at the end of the table. that's the actual cleaned $5 bill. see it there. dry it. and then they'll be ready to print the $100 bill. the counterfeit. >> rusty then using a printer and a scanner imprints on the blank $5 bill the front and back of a $100 bill. so basically, he is making a copy.

and it looks pretty darn good. in case you're thinking of trying this at home, you should know we have left out a number of key steps. circumstances there any place that is like you would know that you don't want to go to? >> rusty seems relaxed. he is there to teach them how to counterfeit money when he starts offering up details about his criminal history. >> rusty has the attention of the investigators. he has made two visits. he has sold them a lot of

counterfeit $100 bills. he sold them equipment to make even more. but his days are numbered. was it just me or was this guy shifty? he was looking all over this room. >> he was really perplexed. if i got too far behind him, he kept looking over his should tore see what i was doing. >> on the hidden cameras, we thought we saw a bulge there. >> he had mace. >> was it mace? he had it on a chain and he pulled it out and i said it wasn't a weapon. he pulls it out and it appears to be a can of mace. >> if somebody were to hold this up to the light, you could actually see abraham lincoln and the $5 strip here. >> correct. >> but most people don't do that. >> right. most people just look to see that there is some sort of portrait, which is a reflection, and they look to see some sort of strip here. >> why do you think he trusted you'd guys? >> honestly, i don't know. i think part of it is a gift of

gab. >> i would add to that if you're an artist and you have all these beautiful paintings and no one ever knows who painted them, there is no glory in it. i think he wants somebody, people to recognize and know his work. >> a week from now, he is not going to be a free man? >> no. his house will be raided and he'll be in custody. >> and he has no idea. >> not yet. >> coming up, rusty in custody. says the counterfeit cash wasn't the only fake thing in that room. and this man is quite a catch. >> it's personal. this is the most expensive car anybody has ever brought us. >> when "vegas undercover raw" continues.

msnbc now. i'm alex witt.

singer amy winehouse has died. she was found dead earlier in her north london flat. police are treating the death as unexplained. and a meeting with president obama and the congressional leaders about the debt limit. john boehner was called in to discuss the meeting. more news later. but now back to "vegas undercover." welcome back to "vegas undercover raw." in the footage captured of the police sting operation, we've been able to show you how the suspected criminals acted when they didn't know they were being watched. and when i confronted them after they had been arrested, they had no idea they admitted their crimes on tape. it was interesting to see how many denied what they were caught doing. that is until i showed them the video. hey, rusty, how are you? rusty comes in. i explain to him who i am. tell him i would like to ask him some questions.

>> we're doing a story on this investigation that was run by vegas metro police. my job is to get inside that person's mind and ask them challenging questions. and find out, you know, what got them into this situation that they're in. did you go to a storefront business and try to sell some counterfeit money? >> no, i didn't go to one, no. no, no. i mean i did go to a storefront business, but i didn't try to sell anything to them like counterfeit money, no. >> why did you go there? >> why did i go there? >> yeah. >> because they contacted me wanting some information from me. >> what kind of information did they want? >> they wanted me to divulge some information to them. >> about? >> about counterfeit. right. >> so did you tell them anything? >> yes. >> and what did you tell them? >> i showed them what somebody had showed me. >> and what was that specifically?

>> how to do it. >> how to do it. do you know how to do counterfeit money? >> just what i've read on the internet and stuff. >> and how does that work, if you had to explain it to somebody like me that doesn't know that much about it. >> with a printer. >> rusty denies knowing anything about the counterfeit $100 bills, about selling counterfeit 100 bills, how to make counterfeit $100 bills, absolutely didn't do it, wasn't there, you got the wrong guy, i'm innocent. fine. can i show you the videotape? yes, please. and you watch his face as i hit play. he almost looks away because he doesn't want to see it. and then he is drawn into it. and there he is. giving a tutorial on how to mak. now before this is all over, you

produce a crisp $100 bill. and you basically tell them how to do it. and then on top of that, how to pass this $100 bill. how it works in casinos. how you can do it in a convenience store or a -- how many of those 100 dollar bills have you made over the years? >> not many. >> that's not what you said here. was that just bs? >> yeah. >> why would you say it then? >> just to impress them. basically. >> how much money in reality do you think you made? >> not jack [ bleep ]. >> not jack? >> no. seriously. >> give me a ballpark. >> nothing probably. i mean i haven't passed any of them myself. and i would never try. i mean honestly, to look at them, they don't really look that real. >> because here is one thing you say during these meetings is you used to put a little special mark on it so you knew it was one of yours.

and you saw them recirculate around a couple of times. >> that's [ bleep ]. >> that's all bs? >> all bs. >> you were trying to be quite the tough guy here? >> yeah, because i was scared. i didn't know who these guys were either, you know. i had no idea. >> how come you have one wallet for real money and one wallet for counterfeit money? >> that's bs. >> a lot of bs floating around. a whole lot of bs floating around here, rusty. >> a lot of bs floating around through there. >> rusty, like so many of these guys tried to downplay what he said, you know, during the investigation as bravado, bragging. the truth i'm sure lies some place in between. rusty strikes a deal, avoiding federal charges, pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit forgery and is sentenced to one to three years. coming up -- >> the most expensive car anybody has ever bought. a prince of thieves tries to

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word continues to spread throughout the criminal community that this fencing operation is a good place to unload your stolen goods. a couple months into the sting operation, jr is introduced to the undercover officers by todd, who tells him hey, you got stuff to sell, this is a good place to do it. >> you look like a cop, dude, from a distance. >> sit down. >> all right. this is the deal, straight up. i grabbed all the paperwork

because for other reasons. i left with all the paperwork i had and i got home and found the titles to these cars. and i'm like [ bleep ] because i'm not going to go back. so i went back. >> jr is casing this high-class neighborhood, looking for a place to rob. he finds a home, looks like nobody is home, he comes across paperwork for two very expensive cars. one a bentley, and one a very rare mustang. >> twice, three [ bleep ] crazy. >> jr wasn't prepared to steal those cars right then and there. >> the reason i did is [ bleep ]. more money, because they have and -- >> do you know? >> no, i don't do people i know. just luck. just straight-up luck, bro.

i get pretty lucky. >> just to put it into perspective, you know, the value of the items brought into the fencing operation was something like a million dollars. well, jr on his own brought in like a quarter of that. >> see, here is the thing. i'm not trying to discredit the fact -- >> because this is the most expensive car anybody has ever brought us. you set the bar, man. >> so jr comes in with this bentley, and they don't have enough cash on them to actually buy the bentley. the police have a budget here. they just can't, you know, go on forever buying stolen cars or give thousands of dollars for each one. so they give him a down payment. and then he comes back to get the rest of the cash. >> and they're worth like $10 billion. so i don't feel bad. if it was just an average joe, i [ bleep ] that.

he is worth a lot of money. i don't need stuff like that. i have a conscience. the guy has three houses and [ bleep ]. >> all right. >> actually because he cheats people and doesn't appreciate what he's got. pretty much. >> jr on hidden camera tells the undercover investigators that he has no problem clipping this guy for his bentley and his mustang because he is a rich guy and he'll never miss it. now ironically, later when i interview the guy who had the car stolen, you know, he is a self-made millionaire. he started a company with about $250 in his pocket and never looked back. he worked very hard to get those cars.

>> three, four, five, six -- >> jr sells this car to the police for, you know, basically pennies on the dollar. they give him $2500 for a quarter million vehicle. but for the police, it's a big score. because not only have they gotten somebody's car back, something of great value, but it's great evidence to put jr in prison. >> coming up -- >> you didn't steal that bentley? >> no, i didn't steal that bentley. >> jr is sticking to his story. but when we show him video of this woman also caught in the sting, he gets angry. >> she should have never -- she should have never been involved in anything like this. i did not know that she was doing anything like this. >> find out who the mystery woman is, when "vegas undercover raw continues." ncer ] walls can talk. but it's our job to make them say something interesting. so how about this weekend we learn some new tricks of the trade... then break out our doing clothes

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over the course of the las vegas police investigation, 38 criminals came through the doors of the fake fencing operation. most of the thieves were trying to sell stolen cars. >> you can get you mustangs all day long. >> show these [ bleep ] where the truck is, please? >> some more unusual items made their way to the front like this grenade. >> i was looking for $150. >> and a guy with big guns. >> what we got? [ bleep ]. >> in all, the cops confiscated more than $1 million in stolen goods. amazingly, got nearly a quarter of that in one visit. j.r. brought them a bentley and a rare mustang.

when we got a chance to talk to some of the suspected criminals after they were rounded up and arrested, i was curious to learn about the self-described robin hood who boasted so brashly to the cops in the store front sting he pulled off those major heists. >> how did you end up getting in this jam? >> i don't even know what a jam i'm in, to be honest with you. >> let me ask you, j.r., did you ever take stolen cars to a store front and sell them there? >> no. i never did personally seg anybody any car. >> did you go to that store front? >> yes, i know which one you're talking about. >> you went there. >> yes. >> what did you do while you were there? >> i talked to a couple of guys. one of my friends wanted me to go there and take a vehicle over there because he couldn't drive two cars at the same time. i said, sure, i'll go with you. he's got the titles and everything. it's all legit. i need your help. okay. i went over there with him. that was it. >> that's it.

>> one time. >> did you steal -- >> wait, wait. two times. >> what kind of cars did you bring over there? >> i didn't bring over any cars. i was there with a friend of mine. >> friend. >> yeah. i drove up with him to the front of the place. i didn't pick up a car any more or anything like that and deliver it. he had the cars. i went with him. >> did you ever get any of the money for these cars? >> no. i didn't get any of the money. >> did you bring over a 2008 bentley? >> yes. >> you did? >> m-hm. >> those guys paid $2,800 for the car? >> no. like $200. >> $200 is what you got? >> i didn't get anything. >> you were just being a good buddy. >> i was not a good buddy, just helping drive over there. >> where did that bentley come from? >> i have no idea. >> you didn't steal that bentley? >> no, i didn't steal that bentley. >> what did you talk about with those fellows at the store? >> i remember they had this, i

guess my friend told them i was this big, you know -- >> thief. >> machismo, and me trying to be cool and play the part. yeah, yeah, yeah. >> being a burglar is not something most people brag about unless they are berg lars and want people to think they are good at their job. >> as the interviewer, i let him tell the whole story. can't pin it on me. what's it about? most people can't resist. it was a sting operation. >> if it what a sting operation, i'm busted for going there. i shouldn't have had a camera on me. >> they did. can i show you some of the videotape? would you lookic to take a look? you're bragging there, j.r. about robbing a guy.

you don't feel bad about it. you feel like robin hood because the guy is a wealthy man. why did you say all this stuff if you thought they were cops? >> it could have been tom, dick and harry. how can they arrest me or hold something against me if there is not a victim? >> there are victims -- >> apparently someone had a bentley stole. >> did you steal the bentley? >> no, i didn't steal the bentley. you asked me that already. jx up to this point j.r. is sticking to his story. he seems unfazed seeing himself on the undercover sting video. when i show him video of someone else he knows, that's when he appears he is taken by surprise. >> who is that? >> that's my daughter. >> that's your daughter. >> yeah. i didn't know she was -- >> you had no idea your daughter was involved? >> no. >> j.r., how could you not know?

>> my daughter did not live with me -- my daughter and i had not seen each other for years and years. i had no clue she was even involved with that person that was involved with those people. >> you look genuinely upset when you saw your daughter there with this guy. >> i didn't know any of this was going on. >> i understand. >> to put my daughter in something like that? she should have never been involved in anything like this. i did not know she was doing anything like this. >> is she a good kid? >> yeah. she's a good kid. i'm pretty much a good guy. i never hurt nobody physically. i don't have any violence on my record. >> you can go away a long time on these charges. >> which is -- which is not fair. >> j.r., one of the 38 criminals caught in the net of the las vegas police department remains

unapologetic to the end. possibly more upset about his daughter's involvement in the fake fencing operation than his own. according to las vegas police sheriff, the sting operation is a huge success. when people see this investigation and the unprecedented actions, what do you think the take-away should be? >> well, i'd like -- i think it reenforces to the public that we are just not out there driving around. that we are being proactive. we are being creative and we are doing our level best to keep this community safe. >> what impact do you think that store front investigation will have? >> what will happen is, we'll have to be a little bit better the next time because they'll walk through the door. some of them will be asking a few more questions. maybe it won't be a store front. maybe it will be some other type

of operation that we do, but make no mistake, we'll be doing it. >> as for j.r., he may not have admitted to me he stole the vehicles. in court though, he tells a different story. j.r. pleads guilty to grand larceny, his sentence as a habitual criminal and given ten years to life. >> in launching our investigation, two things struck me, one, it gives a sense that the police are out there doing more than just reacting to criminal activity. they are being proactive, even creative in their attempts to protect their citizens. and two, that there are criminals out there. guys like todd and rusty and j.r. who consider their job to commit crimes looking for opportunities every day. it's truly the age-old tale of cat and mouse, cops and robbers, and the cops are clearly doing their part to stay one step ahead of the robbers.