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VIDEOTAPED ATTACK: Stiles guilty on all 22 counts

Jury convicts man of sexually assaulting two young girls







A stone-faced Chester Stiles sat in a courtroom and met his fate quietly Tuesday afternoon.

With his gray-flecked brown hair slicked back, Stiles stared straight ahead and barely blinked as a court clerk read the verdicts that sealed his future:


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  • Guilty of sexually assaulting a 2-year-old girl in Las Vegas.

    Guilty of sexually assaulting a 6-year-old girl in Las Vegas.

    In all, the jury convicted Stiles of 22 counts of sexually assaulting a minor, lewdness with a minor and attempted sexual assault of a minor. The jury deliberated about four hours.

    Twenty-one of the convictions carry a life sentence. District Judge Jennifer Togliatti is scheduled to sentence Stiles on May 8.

    One of his attorneys, Deputy Public Defender Amy Coffee, said Stiles' defense team plans to appeal the verdicts.

    Stiles' other attorney said the team wasn't happy with the outcome.

    "We're always disappointed with a guilty verdict," said Deputy Public Defender Stacey Roundtree.

    The trial lasted more than a week and included a videotape showing the sexual assault of a 2-year-old by a suspect police identified as Stiles.

    The jury also listened as a girl, now 11, described how Stiles sexually assaulted and molested her when she was 6.

    Jury foreman Dan Clayton said it was an "emotional trial for everybody" because of the appalling nature of the case.

    He said the 15-minute videotape showing the sexual assault was just one piece of evidence jurors used to make their decision.

    "The tape was not the whole case," said Clayton, 62. "That was a portion of it, but there was a lot of other fine evidence brought forward that made our decision."

    During the trial, county prosecutors Jim Sweetin and Mary Kay Holthus described letters Stiles had written to ex-girlfriends in which he admitted to being a pedophile. In the letters, Stiles also apologized to the victim in the video.

    Prosecutors also played a jailhouse recording of Stiles telling a woman that he "can't deny" what's on the videotape.

    Both Holthus and Sweetin said they were pleased with the verdicts.

    One juror urged anyone like Stiles to get help immediately.

    "This guy is sick," said juror Jeffrey Taube, 34. "There's other sick people out there right now. Get yourself help."

    Stiles became the focus of a nationwide manhunt in 2007 after the videotape showing a child being molested was found in the desert near Pahrump.

    The victim, now 8, was eventually found safe in Las Vegas. She has no memory of the assault.

    Henderson police arrested Stiles during a routine traffic stop at the corner of Green Valley Parkway and Sunset Road in October 2007. Once he was stopped, Stiles admitted that he was a wanted man.

    The trial centered on two separate incidents. Authorities said Stiles, a former animal trainer for Siegfried & Roy, sexually assaulted a 6-year-old girl in December 2003 while visiting her home.

    That victim testified that Stiles had groped her and kissed her on the lips. The kiss, she said, made her sick to her stomach.

    Stiles also was accused of videotaping himself sexually assaulting a 2-year-old girl. Prosecutors played the taped assault for jurors on Friday.

    Authorities said Stiles gained access to the girls through his friendship with Tina Allen, who was acquainted with the victims' families. Police said Allen took Stiles to the victims' homes.

    Stiles and Allen dated for about two years and remained friends for more than a decade.

    Contacted Tuesday, Allen said she never knew Stiles was attracted to young girls. She said she never wanted to speak with Stiles again.

    "I don't condemn him. I can't condemn him," she said. "He put himself there. Not me."

    Contact reporter David Kihara at dkihara@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-1039.

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    Desiree wrote on March 12, 2009 07:22 PM: Why repeat the vicious circle. If he claims to have been brutally molested as a young man then why repeat what was done? Horrible things are done to people everyday but make a change and do the "right" thing, get help.


    Commonsense1 wrote on March 11, 2009 05:18 PM: The old maxim "a hero dies but once; a coward dies a thousand deaths" applies here. Each minute of each day and night, this rapist knows he is surrounded by hundreds of experienced killers and criminals who have NOTHING to lose by killing or torturing him. Have fun Stiles!


    Vegan Vegas wrote on March 09, 2009 01:38 PM: What a no-brainer this was!


    PaulWall wrote on March 09, 2009 11:16 AM: Fortunately, he'll get some REAL punishment in jail. There is only ONE way of getting of child molesters out of society for good; informing fellow inmates of his crime or save some time and money by shotgunning the turd. Either way is okay.


    Marie wrote on March 07, 2009 01:33 PM: Why waste tax payers money in keeping this monster alive,all i can say he ought to have the slowest painfullest death ever. This monster should rott in hell for what he's done to them poor children.


    zombie wrote on March 07, 2009 11:10 AM: He should be slowly roasted on a small but sufficient open fire. After death they can stir up to heat to turn this animal into ashes and dust.


    unoit wrote on March 07, 2009 11:04 AM: He will get real punishment in jail. Don't think he'll make it very long alive! Unless the other inmates don't know what he is in for. He'll fnd out soon what is like to be a victim. Hope another sick inmate takes his time with him instead of rushing him trough.


    Jordan wrote on March 06, 2009 08:03 PM: sik mofuka


    solomon wrote on March 06, 2009 01:48 PM: I hope he has a real fun time in prison. I hear inmates are extremely fond of child molesters...


    jutt from uk wrote on March 05, 2009 02:10 PM: i would love to tip petrol over him and set him on fire. atleast you give out proper sentences in usa. he would get about 4 or 5 years in uk.


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