A Clark County Jail inmate is accused of sexually assaulting a fellow inmate while searching for drugs he believed had been smuggled into the jail.
Navin Phathanasack, 38, made a first appearance Monday in Clark County Superior Court on suspicion of second-degree rape.
On April 22, the victim reported to jail staff that he had been assaulted by three other inmates over the past two days. However, he said he feared they would retaliate if he identified them, according to an affidavit of probable cause.
Earlier this month, the victim told investigators that some other inmates believed he may have smuggled drugs into the jail and wanted to take them from him. Three inmates, including Phathanasack, confronted him in a cell, the affidavit states.
Phathanasack and another inmate held the victim’s arms and pinned his feet to the ground while a third inmate repeatedly struck the victim in the back, court records say.
Later, Phathanasack and one of the other assailants cornered the victim in a confined area. They ordered him to remove his pants and underwear so they could check them for drugs. The victim said he was afraid he would be assaulted again if he didn’t comply, according to court documents.
While the victim was half-naked, Phathanasack sexually assaulted him while searching for drugs. And when the inmates didn’t find any, they continued to harass and follow the victim around the jail pod for several hours, the affidavit states.
Jail surveillance footage shows several other inmates standing in a line, forming a wall on an upper level of the jail pod to shield bunks from view. The victim is seen sitting on a bed with other inmates next to him and one inmate hitting him, court records say.
A medical exam found that the victim suffered injuries consistent with being sexually assaulted. He also had bruises on his arms, legs, hips and buttocks, according to court documents.
Phathanasack and the two other alleged assailants denied assaulting the victim.
Judge John Fairgrieve set Phathanasack’s bail at $75,000. He will be arraigned May 25.
