Mazen Alotaibi appears in Las Vegas Justice Court for a hearing at the Regional Justice Center in Las Vegas on Thursday, January 17, 2013. Alotaibi is charged with burglary, first degree kidnapping, two counts of sexual assault with a minor and sexually motivated coercion.
Thursday, Jan. 17, 2013 | 9:37 a.m.
A Saudi air force sergeant charged with raping a teenage boy New Year’s Eve on the Las Vegas Strip appeared Thursday morning in Las Vegas Justice Court, only to find out he’ll return Friday.
Mazen Alotaibi, 23, has been charged with first-degree kidnapping, two counts of sexual assault with a minor under 14 years of age, burglary and sexually motivated coercion, according to a criminal complaint.
His case was continued to Friday morning, when attorneys will argue whether bail should be set.
The alleged incident came to light after the victim — a 13-year-old boy visiting Las Vegas on vacation — contacted hotel security at Circus Circus, according to an arrest report.
The boy, who was a guest at the hotel, had been walking down a hallway the morning of Dec. 31 when Alotaibi allegedly made contact and forced the boy into his room, where he sexually assaulted him, the report states.
Alotaibi had been temporarily stationed at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio and was vacationing in Las Vegas, as well.
Chief Deputy District Attorney Mary Kay Holthus is prosecuting the case; defense attorney John Parris appeared on behalf of Alotaibi's hired attorney Don Chairez, who lives in California. Chairez is scheduled to be in court for Friday morning's hearing, set for 9 a.m.
Alotaibi speaks Arabic, so an interpreter was present during Thursday’s hearing, which was in Justice of the Peace William Kephart's courtroom.
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