Man arrested in string of Las Vegas sexual assaults

By Adwoa Fosu

Published Monday, July 21, 2014 | 8:10 p.m.

Updated Tuesday, July 22, 2014 | 1:04 p.m.

Metro Police have arrested a man who is believed to have sexually assaulted several women, some of whom were prostitutes.

Police were able to link 27-year-old Ixtoc Renteria-Bentancourt to the assaults after the victims described similar situations and a similar attacker.

He was taken into custody over the weekend after a victim reported she was raped July 13 behind a Macy's near Spring Mountain Road and Arville Street, according to a police report.

Renteria-Bentancourt had allegedly solicited sex from the victim, who was a prostitute. Instead of paying her, he reportedly forced her to have sex with him and threatened her with a knife, the report said.

An analysis of nearby surveillance cameras led police to identify the suspect's car, which had been described by previous victims.

Police found that in most cases, Renteria-Bentancourt would negotiate a price for sex with the victim. After persuading the victim to get into his car, the suspect would produce a knife and force them to have sex, the report said.

Police conducted interviews with previous victims and searched Renteria-Bentancourt's Facebook page to find him standing next to the white Ford Focus many of them had described.

They also noted they saw a faded rosary tattoo, which the most recent victim claimed to have seen on Renteria-Bentancourt's hand, the report said.

Police said Renteria-Bentancourt changed his story many times during interrogation, but he allegedly admitted to committing rape, the report said.

He claims to have targeted five women.

Renteria-Bentancourt faces charges that include sexual assault with a deadly weapon and attempted sexual assault.

He is being held without bail at the Clark County Detention Center.