World: Toddler Rape Suspect Nabbed In Nevada

Tuesday, 16 October 2007

(AP) A nationwide manhunt for an accused rapist of a three-year-old girl has ended at a traffic stop in Henderson, Nevada.

Police say Chester "Chet" Arthur Stiles, who is accused of videotaping himself during the alleged rape in 2003, was arrested Monday driving a white car with no license plates. Henderson police officer Mike Dye says Stiles, when asked to show his driver's license, produced only an expired California license with a photo Dye thought looked "suspicious."

"The picture on the license didn't quite match the gentleman in the vehicle," Dye said.

After further questioning, the officer said Stiles revealed his true name.

"He said 'I'm Chester Stiles, the guy you're looking for,' " Dye said. "He said 'I'm tired of running.' "

Stiles, 37, had been the focus of a nationwide search since police identified him as the man who allegedly raped and sexually assaulted a girl in a homemade videotape that surfaced last month in the rural Nevada town of Pahrump.

Dye said Stiles cooperated and did not resist. Dye called for backup, and another officer arrived to handcuff Stiles.

Las Vegas Police Capt. Vincent Cannito said Stiles has been wanted since Oct. 5 on warrants issued for 21 felony charges in connection with the acts seen on the videotape, including lewdness with a minor, sexual assault and attempted sexual assault.

Stiles was alone in the vehicle and unarmed, but police have not fully searched the car, Cannito said. Police were awaiting a warrant.

Stiles was being booked at the Clark County jail. He had not yet hired a lawyer or been assigned a court date, police said.

Cannito said police are continuing the investigation.

"We don't know if we're going to find any other victims," Cannito said.

The girl in the videotape was found with her mother in Las Vegas on Sept. 28. Now 7 years old, she has been described as happy and healthy, with no memory of the alleged 2003 encounter with Stiles.

Authorities had sought the public's help in finding Stiles, who was wanted on state and federal warrants in a case in which he was alleged to have groped a 6-year-old girl in 2003.

Police are also looking into an allegation that he had sexually assaulted a young girl in 2001.

Police say they had received hundreds of tips about Stiles, who they had called dangerous and possibly armed. Stiles had previously been arrested on charges including assault, battery, resisting a police officer, auto theft, leaving the scene of an accident and contempt of court, authorities said.

He was convicted in 1999 in Las Vegas of carrying a concealed weapon, and in 2001 of conspiracy to commit grand larceny. He pleaded no contest in Houston in 1993 to unlawful carrying of a weapon.

Nye County District Attorney Bob Beckett said others have characterized Stiles as a "survivalist type" who claimed to have weapons, a Navy SEAL background and who always carried a knife.

The man who turned the tape in, Darrin Tuck, 26, was arrested last month on a probation violation charge, and is likely to face pornography charges, according to Beckett.

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