Young arson suspect reportedly raped in jail

Kim Smith

Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2000 | 11:06 a.m.

Metro Police are investigating a report that an 11-year-old boy suspected of setting a string of fires last week was sexually assaulted over the weekend by his cellmate at the county's juvenile detention center.

County officials said the cellmate is a 12-year-old boy who has no history of sex offenses.

The younger boy has since been moved to another area within the facility, county officials said.

The 11-year-old boy was arrested Wednesday and accused of setting 10 fires in a matter of a few hours, including one fire that caused $500,000 worth of damage at a Hugh Otter Stop N Shop under construction on Charleston Boulevard and Arden Street.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Bob Teuton said the district attorney's office has until Wednesday to file formal arson charges against the boy. If it does not, the boy will be released before his Thursday morning arraignment.

Margaret Purdue, community development administrator for the county's Department of Family and Youth Services, declined to comment Monday on the alleged incident.

Juvenile Judge Robert Gaston could not be reached for comment.

The 11-year-old boy is accused of setting fires at several businesses and to three vehicles. At one of the vehicle fires the boy was spotted standing around and watching, Clark County Fire Department officials said.

The fires in the businesses were started by various methods, but in most cases paper stuffed into duct work or in a trash can was used.

Investigators believe the boy set fires at the convenience store and six other businesses -- Albertson's grocery store, Vons grocery store, Kmart, Target, Pistol Pete's Pizza and Arden Car Wash. All of the fires were near Nellis Boulevard between Charleston Boulevard and Stewart Avenue.

Fire officials said last week the blazes stretched firefighters and resources to the limit. At the same time as the arson blazes, county firefighters were battling a gasoline tanker fire on U.S. 95.