Nurse indicted in child sex case

Erica D. Johnson

Thursday, March 13, 2003 | 10:13 a.m.

A fired nurse accused of sexually assaulting a 5-year-old patient at University Medical Center has been indicted by a grand jury.

The indictment, unsealed Wednesday before District Judge Gene Porter, charges Jared Riser, 20, with multiple felony counts, including sexual assault with a child under 14 and lewdness with a child under 14.

A warrant was issued for his arrest. Once he is in custody, a cash bail will be set at $400,000, Porter ruled. Riser faces multiple life sentences if convicted.

Authorities say the incident took place in the hospital's pediatric ward on Christmas Day. Riser was fired from UMC shortly after the alleged attack.

Riser's attorney, Lamond Mills, was unavailable for comment.

Riser, who had recently moved to Las Vegas from Idaho, has a history of sexually deviant behavior, Chief Deputy District Attorney Doug Herndon said.

Riser had been investigated in connection with peeping and other incidents in Idaho, but authorities decided not to formally charge him when they learned he was relocating to Las Vegas, Herndon said.

"That is how he was able to come to Las Vegas and get a job at the hospital, where he had access to sexually assault this young girl," he said.

Herndon alleged that Riser's pattern of sexual deviance continued when he arrived in Las Vegas.

"It was escalating very quickly, this pattern of conduct, where he was viewing pornography and exposing himself in a short time of about five months," the prosecutor said.

Though Riser was scheduled to have a preliminary hearing April 11 before Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Nancy Oesterle, the indictment means the case will go directly to District Court.