LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — The Israeli official arrested in a Las Vegas intercourse sting operation by no means appeared earlier than a decide and posted bail earlier than leaving the nation, the district legal professional reaffirmed Tuesday.
Tom Artiom Alexandrovich, 38, faces a cost of luring a toddler with a pc for intercourse acts, in line with police. The cost carries a jail sentence of 1-10 years.
Alexandrovich was in Las Vegas for the Black Hat USA 2025 cybersecurity convention, police mentioned. A submit on an Israeli authorities web site signifies Alexandrovich works as the pinnacle of the Technological Protection Division on the Israel Nationwide Cyber Directorate.
On Wednesday, Aug. 6, Alexandrovich chatted on-line with the decoy posing as a 15-year-old woman about assembly for “sexual contact,” the 8 Information Now Investigators first reported Monday. citing courtroom paperwork. Police then arrested Alexandrovich as he ready to fulfill with the decoy.
Felony instances in Nevada start in justice courtroom, which townships administer. The courts, together with Henderson Justice Courtroom, provide a regular bail schedule the place defendants pays to bail out of jail for many expenses, together with felonies. Whereas the FBI and federal officers have been concerned in Alexandrovich’s arrest, the Clark County District Lawyer’s Workplace is prosecuting the case. Most sex-crime instances in Southern Nevada are dealt with by job forces comprised of federal, state and native companions.
Alexandrovich posted $10,000 bail shortly after his arrest, courtroom information confirmed. The method permits defendants to pay the payment and waive their proper to a possible trigger listening to, which the justice courtroom oversees.
“There was no court involvement,” Clark County District Lawyer Steve Wolfson mentioned Tuesday. “There was no prosecution involvement. This is the normal practice. It is very standard in this community and many communities across the country.”
A 2020 Nevada Supreme Courtroom choice modified the state’s bail system, making the fee “necessary to reasonably ensure the defendant’s appearance.”
Clark County District Lawyer Steve Wolfson addresses the media in regards to the responsible verdict in former Clark County Public Administrator Robert Telles trial for the homicide of Las Vegas Assessment-Journal investigative reporter Jeff German on the Regional Justice Courtroom Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024, in Las Vegas, (Bizuayehu Tesfaye/Las Vegas Assessment-Journal by way of AP)
“He was booked into jail. He posted the $10,000 bail very quickly and was released before his case even needed to go before a judge,” Wolfson mentioned, “And it isn’t solely this, particular person defendant. There have been three or 4 others that, like him, posted the bail straight away, so there was no courtroom look.”
Alexandrovich didn’t seem earlier than a decide and posted bond earlier than his state-entitled possible trigger listening to and earlier than prosecutors filed a felony criticism towards him, the 8 Information Now Investigators reported Monday. Thus, no decide might put any added restrictions on his launch. Whereas a decide later reviewed the bail, there was no bodily listening to and the decide had no mechanism so as to add additional restrictions.
Along with Alexandrovich, seven different defendants face comparable expenses linked to the sting.
Interim U.S. Lawyer for Nevada Sigal Chattah blamed Wolfson and a “state court judge” for failing to require Alexandrovich to give up his passport after posting bail, nonetheless, neither had something to do with the method. The justice courtroom units the usual bail schedule, and the method to bail out at that time post-arrest doesn’t contain the district legal professional’s workplace nor any decide.
“The individual who fled our country should have had his passport seized by the state authorities,” Chattah mentioned. “He must be returned immediately to face justice.”
A press release from the U.S. State Division incorrectly reported that Alexandrovich appeared earlier than a decide.
“The Department of State is aware that Tom Artiom Alexandrovich, an Israeli citizen, was arrested in Las Vegas and given a court date for charges related to soliciting sex electronically from a minor,” a submit on “X” from the division mentioned Monday. “He did not claim diplomatic immunity and was released by a state judge pending a court date. Any claims that the U.S. government intervened are false.”
Prosecutors had but to formally file expenses towards Alexandrovich as of Tuesday. A standing test in his case was scheduled earlier than a decide on Aug. 27. That day, a decide will hear from prosecutors to see if the felony criticism – the precise charging doc – was filed. At that time, the decide can re-address bail and place additional restrictions ought to she deem them needed. It was not instantly clear if Alexandrovich would seem in courtroom in person who day or have an legal professional seem in his presence.
Attorneys David Chesnoff and Richard Schonfeld have been representing Alexandrovich, a submitting indicted Tuesday. Wolfson mentioned he had no issues about his return.
A consultant from the Henderson Justice Courtroom didn’t return a request for remark.
