Suspect in Video Sex Attack Once Worked for Siegfried & Roy

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The New York Sun

LAS VEGAS — The fugitive accused of raping a little girl on videotape was portrayed yesterday as a dangerous, knife-wielding survivalist who once vowed never to be taken alive and formerly worked as an animal trainer with Las Vegas illusionists Siegfried & Roy.

The FBI and Las Vegas police pressed a nationwide manhunt for Chester “Chet” Arthur Stiles, 37, who authorities say can be seen molesting a 3-year-old girl in a video that was recorded four years ago and surfaced last month.

“He’s a survivalist type who isn’t bothered by living without electricity or water, and always carries a fighting-type knife,” said District Attorney Bob Beckett of Nye County. Investigators were interviewing people who know Stiles and pursuing hundreds of “very fruitful” leads yesterday from across the country, police Captain Vincent Cannito, head of the department’s youth and family crimes unit, said.

“He does have a very violent past,” Captain Cannito said, “and he has a history of narcotics usage, so we do consider him to be a very dangerous individual.”

Authorities were seeking Stiles on a warrant issued last year charging him with fleeing to avoid prosecution on allegations he groped a 6-year-old girl in 2003. Las Vegas police say Stiles had a string of arrests dating to 1999 on several charges, including assault, battery, resisting a police officer, auto theft, leaving the scene of an accident, and contempt of court.

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


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