Sgt. in Saudi military accused of Vegas child rape

This image provided by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department shows Mazen Alotaibi, 23, a sergeant in Saudi Arabia'?s air force who was arrested Dec. 31, 2012, in Las Vegas on charges that he pulled a teenage boy into Las Vegas Strip hotel room and sexually assaulted him the morning of the cityâ????s big New Year's Eve fireworks extravaganza. / AP Photo/Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department

LAS VEGAS A sergeant in Saudi Arabia's air force was jailed in Las Vegas on charges that he pulled a young boy into a hotel room and sexually assaulted him the morning of Sin City's big New Year's Eve fireworks extravaganza.

Mazen Alotaibi, 23, faces charges including kidnapping, sexual assault with a minor and felony coercion that could get him decades in state prison, according to police and charging documents obtained Friday.

The boy, who is younger than 14, told police the man forced him into a room at the Circus Circus hotel on the Las Vegas Strip and raped him. Police arrested Alotaibi after being called to the hotel before 9:30 a.m. on Dec. 31.

"There was a kidnapping and sexual assault with force," Las Vegas police Lt. Dan McGrath said. "The victim said he was forced into the room and sexually assaulted. We have a strong case based on the evidence."

The boy, who lives out of state, was staying at the hotel with his family, McGrath said. He was taken to a local hospital for medical treatment and evidence collection and released later to family members. His name was not made public.

McGrath said Alotaibi produced a Saudi Arabian military identification and said he was stationed at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland near San Antonio, Texas. U.S. federal authorities and Saudi military officials were notified, the police lieutenant said.

Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland spokesman Brent Boller told The Associated Press that records showed Alotaibi is currently stationed at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Miss. Boller said he could not immediately verify if Alotaibi had been at Lackland, but noted that international military students attend a Defense Language Institute English Language Center on the base to improve their English-language skills.

Alotaibi's lawyer, Don Chairez of Newport Beach, Calif., said Friday he had been in contact with U.S. military authorities at both air force bases and with the Saudi government. He said Alotaibi had come to Las Vegas for the New Year's celebration, and will plead not guilty.

Alotaibi also is charged with burglary, which in Nevada can stem from a person entering a building with intent to commit a felony.

The alleged attack took place on the sixth floor of a 15-story hotel tower. Circus Circus has a total of 3,767 guest rooms in three towers and five three-story motor lodge-style buildings dubbed Circus Circus Manor.

The arrest was first reported by the Las Vegas Review-Journal. It cited a police report saying the boy was 13.

Alotaibi was being held without bail at the Clark County jail pending an evidence hearing Jan. 17.

[unclec18017]

If we let the Saudis have him, first they'll castrate him, let him get healthy, then they'll hang him. It won't be months of trials and public defenders, costing tax payers hundreds of thousands of dollars; that'll be the case, if he's tried here... then 30 years of prison, again costing tax payers at least $50,000 a year.

And why do foreigners get public defenders?

[quincytodd]

Being such right-wing fanatics, nothing that the Saudis do should surprise anyone! However, it is U.S. foreign policy to protect and aid these unsavory people. In fact, some right-wing Republicans and "blue-dog" Democrats actually proposed foreign aid to Saudi Arabia itself which is quite ludicrous!

[jgnv]

This is the third reported incident of physical assault inside a Las Vegas casino in recent weeks. The first two involved hotel employees and now a hotel guest. It is obvious that we must increase our physical security presence at all public venues in order to protect citizens from unwarranted attacks. Cameras can record and document an attack, but they can't prevent one.

[FormerUSMCSergeant]

That's nothing. People blow their brains out here every day in hotel rooms because they got stupid and lost everything - never makes it into the press - bad for tourism......

[decotoguy]

The Military should provide camels for these visiting Arabs soldiers,
so young American boys can be spared injuring

[magnumdr]

Kill him. Problem solved

[FormerUSMCSergeant]

Nobodyhasthisname replies: I agree with Mike, your rambling on is nothing but chatter about nothing. Your liberal nonsense is so annoying.
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Here's a suggestion for you: Don't read my posts.
Believe me, it won't break my heart if you don't.

[FormerUSMCSergeant]

MarineMike1 replies: Hey numbnutts....this is a story about a man raping a child. We don't need a review of your family tree. Nobody gives a rats azz. I am a former Marine so shut the **** up already.
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I was responding to another poster here. The USMC teaches, among other things, respect. It didn't take on you, obviously....probably a BCD case.

[FormerUSMCSergeant]

gbgentleman replies: I have raised two very intelligent and independent children who are ready to take on the world so yes, I speak from experience.
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Likewise here. One son runs a 3 state network for AT&T and the other has his own business earning about 400K/yr.
As well, no perp ever got a crack at them, either. Children are to be protected until they can fend for themselves. This kid obviously was not.

[MarineMike1]

Hey numbnutts....this is a story about a man raping a child. We don't need a review of your family tree. Nobody gives a rats azz. I am a former Marine so shut the **** up already.

[FormerUSMCSergeant]

enough-already replies: linkicon reporticon emailicon I've always had a lot of respect for anyone who could become a Sergeant in the U.S. Marines, but after reading a lot of this guys comments, I've come to realize that they'll let almost ANYONE become a Sergeant these days, heck, even WOMEN! Audie Murphy and the Duke must be rolling in their graves.
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You never tried to make Sgt. in the Marines and I can see why.....

[pbaird2]

Sexual orientation and sexual deviance have no corrollation. Pedophilia is not restricted to homosexuals. Pedophiles cannot relate emotionally or physically to mature people. Normal homosexuals, as with normal heterosexuals, are attracted emotionally and sexually to only those who are post-pubescent and of maturity in age. Interesting how when male pedophiles assault females people just think these men are "sick", but when a male assaults an underage male it is automatically an attack by "sick homosexuals". Pedophilia is a mental illness; sexual orientation is not.