Bail set at $1.2m in Vegas Saudi boy rape case

A Royal Saudi Air Force sergeant, jailed since New Year’s Eve after he was accused of raping a 13-year old boy, has had his bail set at US$1.22m, it was reported.

Mazen Alotaibi, who is expected to plead guilty of all charges, was granted the high bail because the US and Saudi Arabia do not have an extradition treaty in place, the judge said, in comments published by Associated Press.

Alotaibi, a 23-year old mechanic, is accused of forcing a boy into a hotel room before raping him. Other charges include lewdness with a minor, kidnapping, sexual assault with a minor, coercion and burglary. If convicted, the most serious charges could put Alotaibi in prison for life.

Alotaibi acknowledged during police questioning that he had sexual intercourse with the boy, prosecutor Mary Kay Holthus said. Alotaibi’s defence attorney said the boy wanted marijuana and refused to leave the hotel room despite repeated requests by Alotaibi and as many as four other Saudi men. 

“I do not believe there was any force here,” he said. “This is not a forcible rape. At most, if there was any sexual contact, it was consensual.”

Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Bill Kephart called the allegations against him “appalling”.

Alotaibi’s evidentiary hearing will be heard on January 31.