Man gets prison time in child sex case

Wednesday, July 5, 2000 | 9:13 a.m.

A man has been sentenced to a minimum of 45 years in prison in a child sex case involving about 10 victims.

In March, Russell D. Cohen, 41, pleaded guilty to one count each of sexual assault with a minor under 14, sexual assault with a minor under 16, and use of a minor in producing pornography. Incidents involving about 10 victims were combined into the three charges.

Cohen was arrested in August and accused of forcing two boys into sex acts. Authorities said Cohen met young boys by employing them to distribute fliers throughout the Las Vegas Valley and then took them to his home, where they were sexually abused.

Shortly after news of Cohen's arrest was circulated in the Las Vegas media, police received a videotape in the mail that showed a man engaging in sex acts with several male juveniles. In October, additional charges were filed against Cohen in connection with the videotape.

Cohen was sentenced on Monday to three life prison terms with the possibility of parole after 45 years.

Police said Cohen was convicted in 1984 of felony child molestation in Georgia. Four years later, he was convicted of performing a lewd act on a child in Florida.

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