Suspect in sexual assault of girl remains in county jail

Keith Paul

Thursday, March 2, 2000 | 11:45 a.m.

A 31-year-old Las Vegas man accused of sexually assaulting an 11-year-old girl in her house was ordered held on $120,000 bond this morning.

It's unlikely that Scott Anthony Brooks will be able to get out of the Clark County Detention Center on bail. He told Justice of the Peace James M. Bixler he can't afford a lawyer. He was scheduled for another hearing March 16.

Brooks was charged Monday with kidnapping, four counts of sexual assault, battery with intent to commit sexual assault and burglary, Metro Police said. Officers arrested Brooks while he was still inside the girl's house, police said.

Brooks is accused of confronting the girl as she was at the front door of her house in the area of Smoke Ranch Road and Torrey Pines Drive, forcing her inside and assaulting her, Lt. Tom Monahan of the sexual assault unit said.

The girl had just returned home from school when she was confronted at about 3:30 p.m., police said. The girl was assaulted for about an hour before she was able to flee her house. Police were called and officers came to the house.

Monahan said he was unsure if the girl called police or if she contacted another person who called 911.

"The patrol officers were already in the neighborhood, and they found him inside the house," Monahan said. "He didn't put up a fight when the officers arrested him."

Brooks apparently doesn't know the girl or her parents.

"We are trying to determine what motivation if any he had to pick this girl," Monahan said. "There was absolutely no connection between her and her family and the suspect."

Monahan said stranger-child sexual assaults are not common. Children are more likely to be sexually assaulted by someone they know, Monahan said.

Monahan said Brooks had a couple of arrests for nonviolent, nonsexual related crimes, but police found no arrests here or in other states for sexual assaults and he is not a registered sex offender.

Keith Paul covers crime and public safety for the Sun. He can be reached at (702) 259-4057 or by e-mail at keith@lasvegassun.com