Police seek possible victims of man accused in attempted assault

By Cara McCoy

Thursday, Aug. 13, 2009 | 2:53 p.m.

A man charged last month for allegedly attempting to sexually assault a woman in the parking lot of a Las Vegas strip club might have other victims and Metro Police are urging anyone with information to contact them.

Joseph J. Stevenson, of Las Vegas, is charged with attempted sexual assault, battery with intent to commit sexual assault, first-degree kidnapping and robbery in connection with a March incident in which a woman told police she was assaulted in the parking lot of Sapphire Gentlemen's Club.

An investigation into Stevenson was initiated after a different woman contacted authorities about a man harassing her while she staffed a voter registration booth outside a gym in the 5000 block of West Tropicana Avenue. She told police that on July 31 a man approached her and asked her lewd questions.

She said Stevenson had filled out a voter registration card at the booth, so she knew his name, and was able to identify him in a lineup presented by police, according to an arrest report.

After further investigation, police learned that Stevenson had been arrested on two occasions for pandering. Investigators also learned he had possibly been involved with several crimes since December 2006 -- four separate sexual assaults, one attempted sexual assault and a lewdness case -- and began reinterviewing witnesses and alleged victims in other cases, the arrest report indicates.

On July 2, detectives met with the woman who reported the alleged March assault. She told investigators that she had been walking by a parking garage near the Encore Las Vegas hotel-casino when a man driving a sedan pulled up to her. She got into the car with him and they made plans to go to Drai's nightclub. According to the arrest report, she told police the man told her that before going to Drai's, they needed to go to Sapphire Gentlemen's Club so he could pick up his identification. When they arrived at Sapphire, the man locked the doors of the car and put the woman's purse out of reach, then the alleged attempted sexual assault took place, arrest records indicate.

During the incident, the woman saw two men walking nearby and was able to open the door, the report said. As she screamed for help, the alleged attacker left the parking lot at a high rate of speed. The woman's purse, which contained her cell phone and other personal belongings, remained in the vehicle, the arrest report said.

She and other witnesses were able to give police a license plate number, which authorities traced to a vehicle belonging to Stevenson's girlfriend. Police said his girlfriend had been arrested multiple times for prostitution.

Later that night, the alleged victim called her cell phone and a man answered, authorities said. The arrest report indicates that after several conversations, the man agreed to drop her belongings off at a gym in the 5000 block of West Tropicana Avenue -- the same gym where another woman would later report a lewd encounter with Stevenson on July 31, authorities said.

Stevenson was arrested July 18 in the parking lot of an apartment complex in the 7000 block of Paradise Road, where he was said to be living with his girlfriend. During a detention center interview, Stevenson told police he often meets up with women and has sexual relations with him. After further questioning, Stevenson admitted to detectives that he had picked up a woman meeting the description of the alleged victim.

According to the arrest report, Stevenson told police that he and the woman smoked marijuana in the parking lot of Sapphire and both agreed to some form of sexual contact. After the sexual contact was to take place, the two were going to go to Drai's, Stevenson told police. He told police that a struggle inside the car ensued after he became angry when the sexual contact didn't happen, and he demanded that she get out of his car.

He also admitted to police that he later had taken the alleged victim's personal belongings to the gym so she could retrieve them, the arrest report indicates.

Stevenson is described as black, 6-foot-4, about 160 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes and is reported to have driven a blue Dodge Charger that belongs to his girlfriend. He was said to be driving that vehicle when the two alleged incidents took place and at the time of his arrest.

He is being held on a combined $51,000 bail for all charges. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Aug. 20.

Anyone with more information is being asked to contact vice detectives at 828-VICE (8423). Callers wishing to remain anonymous can contact Crime Stoppers at 385-5555.