Chester Stiles | |
|---|---|
 Mugshot of Stiles after his capture in 2007 | |
| Born | September 14, 1970 |
| Other names | "Chet" |
| Criminal status | Incarcerated at Ely State Prison |
| Convictions |
|
| Criminal penalty | 21 life sentences with the de jure possibility of parole after 140 years [a] |
Chester "Chet" Arthur Stiles (born September 14, 1970, in Louisville, Kentucky [1] ) is an American criminal who gained notoriety after he appeared in video clips of himself raping and sexually abusing a girl who was three years old at the time. The video was made in 2003 but was discovered under a fallen sign in 2007 in Pahrump, Nevada. [2] Both the FBI and the Las Vegas Police launched a nationwide manhunt which led to his capture. [3] Police released the video to the media, and the child's mother recognized her daughter; Stiles was living with them at the time the video was recorded. [2] He was caught in Henderson, Nevada, and appeared in court on October 17, 2007. [2] [4] Further investigation showed Stiles had abused another young girl while living with her family. [2]
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On May 29, 2009, Stiles was sentenced to 21 life sentences on 21 counts with the possibility of parole in 140 years. [5] The judge said that he showed no remorse in the hearing; Stiles responded to the sentence with the claim that his prosecution "shows a child's virtue is more important than a man's life." He continued, "I incurred 21 life sentences for a non-violent act ... I wish the truth was more important." [6] As of 2015 his sentence was one of the world's longest. [7]
Once he got to the Nevada Department of Corrections, he was classified (Offender ID Number: 1036868) and placed in protective custody for his own safety from the prison's general population inmates.