LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — The Israeli government official arrested as part of a sex sting while attending a cybersecurity conference in Las Vegas pleaded not guilty Monday, and a judge scheduled his trial for next year.
On Wednesday, Aug. 6, Tom Alexandrovich, 38, allegedly chatted online with the FBI decoy posing as a 15-year-old girl about meeting for “sexual contact,” NewsNation local affiliate KLAS first reported, citing court documents. Alexandrovich later drove from his hotel to a Henderson park.
Alexandrovich posted $10,000 bail at the Henderson Detention Center on Aug. 7 and left the country. Earlier this month, a grand jury voted to indict Alexandrovich on a charge of luring children or mentally ill persons with the use of technology with the intent to engage in sexual conduct.
Prosecutors allege Alexandrovich asked the decoy about meeting and discussed attending several shows on the Las Vegas Strip. The decoy asked Alexandrovich to “bring condoms” with the agreement they would meet at Avellino Park in Henderson — a more than 20-minute drive from the Las Vegas Strip.
During his initial arraignment in district court on Monday, Alexandrovich appeared remotely and pleaded not guilty. Clark County District Court Judge Tina Talim then scheduled his trial for March.
Alexandrovich’s attorneys said they anticipate challenging parts of the grand jury process.
In September, Alexandrovich appeared virtually in Henderson Justice Court for his initial arraignment. In that hearing, Henderson Justice Court Judge Barbara Schifalacqua ordered him to stay away from minors and stay off applications or social media sites for dating. Prosecutors did not ask Schifalacqua to increase bail, and she kept the amount at $10,000.
Earlier this month, Talim agreed to allow Alexandrovich to continue to appear remotely for his court appearances.