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SEXUAL ASSAULT SUSPECT: Manhunt flooded with tips

Ex-animal trainer violent, deceptive, LV woman says

Authorities have received hundreds of tips from across the country on the whereabouts of Chester "Chet" Arthur Stiles, but the former Siegfried & Roy animal trainer managed to evade capture for another day Monday.

But a portrait of the man who police allege videotaped himself raping a 3-year-old Las Vegas girl continues to evolve.


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  • A Las Vegas woman who said she is Stiles' former girlfriend told ABC's "Good Morning America" on Monday that he is a master of deception who fooled her for at least a decade.

    "He presented himself wholly as the family guy, the kind of guy a single mom was looking for to help raise her own children," Tina Allen said on the national broadcast.

    Allen said she trusted Stiles, 37, around her own children and her young grandson. She said he would play with the children "on the floor like the rest of us" and dated women who were older than he was.

    "He put on such a good show. I would congratulate him and tell him he deserves an Emmy," she told "Good Morning America."

    But at her Las Vegas home, Allen's mother, 65-year-old Nola Krause, said Monday she always had a bad feeling about Stiles. Krause said she made it clear to Stiles that she was not, going to be civil toward him, so Stiles stayed away from the family's house when she was there.

    "I did not like him. He was not a person I cared to have around," she said from her Las Vegas home.

    Siegfried & Roy decided not to have him around either. Stiles trained animals for the illusionists from March 2002 to July 2002 but was "let go" when he did not show up for work one day, said David Kirvin, spokesman for the longtime Strip headliners.

    Allen told CNN's Larry King live on Monday night that she was worried Stiles might emerge from hiding to harm her and said she would seek the protection of Las Vegas police today.

    "I know him to be very violent, and he's not going down without a fight," Allen said on "Good Morning America."

    Nye County District Attorney Bob Beckett said, "He's a survivalist type who isn't bothered by living without electricity or water, and always carries a fighting-type knife."

    "We do consider him to be a very dangerous individual," Las Vegas police Capt. Vincent Cannito said Monday.

    Cannito also said Stiles could be armed and "has a history of narcotics usage."

    Las Vegas police arrested Stiles about a half-dozen times from 1999 through 2003 but not on drug charges. The arrests were on charges ranging from battery and domestic violence to auto theft and assault with a deadly weapon.

    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 pleaded no contest in Houston in 1993 to unlawful carrying of a weapon.

    Authorities obtained a warrant for Stiles' arrest in 2004 after he was accused of molesting a then-6-year-old girl in Las Vegas.

    Stiles became the target of a nationwide manhunt this weekend after authorities identified him as the man seen in a videotaped sexual assault of the 3-year-old.

    Allen told "Good Morning America" that she is a friend of the child's family and that the girl, now 7, does not remember the abuse.

    Police found the girl safe with her mother on Friday at their Las Vegas home. Police said they determined that the video was filmed in Las Vegas.

    Darrin Tuck, a 26-year-old Pahrump resident, turned the tape over to Nye County sheriff's deputies on Sept. 8 and said he found it in the desert. Police said Tuck had the tape for several months and showed it to others before turning it in.

    Nye County sheriff's deputies obtained a warrant to arrest Tuck for violating his probation, and he turned himself into the Nye County jail on Sunday.

    As of late Monday afternoon, child pornography charges had not been filed against Tuck, authorities said.

    Cannito said that after viewing the videotape and "very clearly" seeing the sexual assault and the assailant, Las Vegas police expect Stiles to face several charges including lewdness with a minor and sexual assault of a child.

    This case shot to national attention because of the unusual release of the photos of the child and her attacker during the time week when authorities were trying to identify and find her. But sexual abuse of children is unfortunately something that Las Vegas police deal with on a daily basis, Cannito said. Las Vegas police investigate about 2,000 cases of children being abused sexually in Southern Nevada each year, he said.

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    Report abuse

    Debra wrote on October 29, 2007 12:24 PM: I wonder why no one has gave any info about chester a. stiles like were is he from where are his parents are there any siblings was he born in Nevada was he an abused as a child what's happening with the 6 yr old he was also accused of molesting so many questions yet the media as usually has moved on and what of the father of 6yr, old and the mother of his latest victim how did happening to come about to be along with the child in the first place what led up to this what happen to him for him for him to be capable of such a terrible act went to the public court records in nevada could'nt afford the fee but i will because for some reason we have become obessive with videotape a terrible crime for all the world to see i guess i'm use to people trying to hide their wrong. please give us the info about this different type of pedophile.


    Report abuse

    kevin wrote on October 02, 2007 08:56 PM: Is it just me or is Tina Allen trying for her 15 minutes of fame? I watched channel 8's 25 minute interview and came away with the impression theres more than meets the eye with Tina Allen.


    Report abuse

    Vegaswoman wrote on October 02, 2007 06:46 PM: To all those "good" men out there looking for a "good" woman, just where in Las Vegas do "good" singles go to meet? There are plenty of good individuals who are interested in meeting others with like interests, but there's no place that has a reputation for drawing the more decent crowd. Any ideas?

    And, I agree with the others who are skeptical about just how impressive this sexual predator's act really was. Sometimes desperate, lonely, and overwhelmed single mothers will accept any kind of help or companionship they can get. That's no excuse, but it happens more frequently than you'd like to think. That tendency sure sets their innocent children up for intimate contact with untrustworthy strangers.


    Report abuse

    Herb wrote on October 02, 2007 03:58 PM: Did you notice that Tina Allen's mother had a bad feeling about Stiles. She tried to warn her daughter about him but she refused to listen. Isn't that typical?..mother's always know best but daughters never listen and insist on dating bad men.

    Las Vegas women, more than women anywhere else in the country, perhaps world, are attracted to and date evil scumbag men. Women in Las Vegas have hostility towards decent good natured men. The proof if the FACT that Nevada ranks #1 in women who get killed by their husbands or boyfriends.


    Report abuse

    GOD wrote on October 02, 2007 12:00 PM: Nevada has lax standards when it comes to protecting children.
    From newstands that dish out escort/prostitute papers to illegals handing out flyers, perverts are flocking to Vegas because it is a pervasive culture here.
    What do we do next, we allow brothels to advertise here in Clark County.

    So, why would anyone be surprised that these characters would prey on innocent children, unsuspecting woman and mothers, and the lenient judicial system that allows them to continue.

    Face it, Las Vegas is the epicenter of illegal human trafficing for the purpose of sex and other perverse purposes. It is by some estimates, $6,000,000,000 in illegal sex trade and what does metro or the county do --- NOTHING!

    Keep your kids close, there are more people like this lurking.... SUCH A SHAME.


    Report abuse

    Sep wrote on October 02, 2007 11:22 AM: Roxanne:

    Why do you believe that a parent's grief & rage should be put on public display?

    Turn off Jerry Springer, and get a life.


    Report abuse

    Ruth wrote on October 02, 2007 10:23 AM: I will make one more comment then I will shut my mouth....As a former victim of childhood molestation that went on and on for many years myself..and you do remember everything...it was better to talk about it rather than push it under the carpet. It had been pushed under the carpet and denied for years. My mom did not want to talk about it but I did.How could she make that choice for me. Obviously she made alot of BAD CHOICES THAT LEFT ME IN MISERY and pain. Pushing it under the carpet is called denial and denial is a sickness. I am better today because I talk about it and express my outrage. The lady who was dating the man needs to be held accountable not made into a celebrity like whats happening now. The poor little girl is the only victim. Any money made by appearing on the tv should go to her. Anytime A CHILD IS RAPED THEY DOOOOO REMEMBER ITTTTT...


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    VegasCitizen wrote on October 02, 2007 10:08 AM: Roxanne,

    The answer to your question probably has a lot to do with her not knowing what was happening to her daughter at the time. Now that it is over, she most likely doesnt want to bring up anything that will either now, or later trigger memories of what happened to her. She is trying to protect her daughter, and her daughters privacy at this time. I can understand where you are upset, but we cant assume the woman knew at the time it was happening. What good comes from dragging it up again for her daughter to discover either now, or some time in the near future when her mind isnt ready to deal with it (not that anyones mind should ever be able to deal with that, no matter what age).

    I hope the guy puts up a fight, and I hope the cops miss every major organ as they shoot him to his slow death!


    Report abuse

    BC wrote on October 02, 2007 10:02 AM: Yes, Ruth, she sounds like all the other psychotic women in this town. I've met so many of them that I've just resigned myself to bachelorhood. What kind of MAN would want to start a family with any of these psychos?


    Report abuse

    ROXANNE SMITH wrote on October 02, 2007 09:39 AM: I am wondering why the mother of that
    little girl is not showing her outrage
    publicly and people want to know
    why SHE is not being charged with neglect or something? She had to have
    known her daughter had been abused.


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