Woman, teens tell similar stories of sexual assaults

Kim Smith

Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2002 | 9:37 a.m.

Similar stories of sexual assaults told by six women and teenagers to grand jurors led to the indictment of a 22-year-old man, transcripts released Tuesday reveal.

Xmeiga Koqnyto Gary faces six counts of first-degree kidnapping, 11 sexual assault charges, two counts of robbery and one count of battery.

Police allege that he attacked six victims between July 11 and Aug. 20 after pulling up alongside them on Flamingo Road and offering them rides. Police said five were sexually assaulted and a sixth managed to escape.

Gary was arrested Aug. 21 after police saw him talking to a woman near Flamingo Road and Buffalo Drive from inside a green car matching the description provided by some victims.

At least one victim, a 15-year-old girl, was able to pick Gary out of a photo lineup, police said.

According to grand jury transcripts, Gary denied sexually assaulting one of the women, but said he had consensual sex with the others. He told police the women only cried rape after he reneged on giving them the rides he promised.

Deputy Public Defender Christy Craig, who represents Gary, could not be reached for comment.

The transcripts also reveal more details into the evidence prosecutors hope to use to convict Gary, who is scheduled to go on trial in February.

In most of the instances, the women and teens had just left work on the late shift at businesses located along Flamingo and were waiting for a bus or walking home.

One of the alleged victims, a 14-year-old girl visiting from Phoenix, testified she was forced her into a car as she sat on a bench near the Gold Coast waiting for her father.

"He said I better get in the car or something bad will happen to me and he doesn't play games with little girls," the girl told grand jurors.

Another young victim, the 15-year-old girl who picked Gary out of a lineup, said her attacker told her he was sexually assaulting her because she was a "pretty young lady." Later, after robbing her of $1 in change, he told her she was "nothing but a waste" of his time.

In one case, the woman hesitated about accepting a ride.

"He played it off like really cool," the woman said. "He was like 'No. Are you kidding me?' "

Within moments of getting into the car, she said, she was forced to perform four separate sex acts and was slapped when her attacker discovered she had no money.

In three of the cases, the victims said their attacker drove a green Chevrolet Camaro-type vehicle. In the other cases, the women described a red sports car.

Gary had access to vehicles matching both descriptions, police have said.

The grand jury transcripts also reveal small details linking many of the cases.

All five women were partially disrobed in the same way and sexually assaulted in the front passenger seat by a man who insisted on wearing a condom. In four of the cases, the man said his name was Chris and in most of the cases the women were also robbed.