LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — An accused serial rapist is alleged to have committed multiple crimes while he was in the United States illegally, the 8 News Now Investigators have learned.
Carlos Nava, 46, is accused of committing five sexual assaults, including one dating back to 2003, which was considered a cold case.
“Mr. Nava now might have essentially five active sexual assaults and all of these sexual assaults involve an individual who was working as a prostitute at that time,” Clark County Chief Deputy District Attorney William Rowles said in court.
Nava was arrested in July after Las Vegas Metro police said he assaulted and kidnapped a sex worker. Police announced that they were looking for more victims. Las Vegas Justice Court Judge Daniel Westmeyer granted $5,000 bail, according to court records. Nava posted bond and was placed on electronic monitoring.
On Thursday, Nava appeared in court for his preliminary hearing in connection with the case. The alleged victim in the case did not show up. Las Vegas Justice Court Judge Amy Chellini said if the woman did not show up at the Nov. 17 preliminary hearing, the case would have to be dismissed.
“This is a vulnerable member of our community and individuals prey on these types of people knowing that they might not show up to court given their line of work,” Rowles said.
Nava learned in court that he was facing additional charges. At least one victim is identified as under the age of 16, according to Clark County Detention Center records. Officers in plain clothes then took Nava into custody.
When asked by a reporter whether he committed the sexual assaults, Nava did not answer.
Nava has re-entered the United States illegally at least eight times since 2002, according to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokesman. While he was granted voluntary removal to Mexico several times, he was also removed after the placement of immigration detainers at least twice. He had been encountered by law enforcement in California, Arizona and Las Vegas.
His criminal history includes arrests for battery and domestic violence. He was last removed to Mexico after a 2020 arrest.
In a statement, an ICE spokesperson wrote, “U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) places immigration detainers on individuals who have been arrested on criminal charges and who ICE has probable cause to believe are removable under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). The detainer requests the other law enforcement agency to notify ICE before a removable individual is released from custody and to maintain custody of the noncitizen for a brief period so that ICE can take custody of that person in a safe and secure setting upon release from that agency’s custody.”
In most cases, once an unlawfully present noncitizen with a pending criminal prosecution is transferred into, or otherwise enters ICE custody, the agency works with the prosecutor and law enforcement authorities to ensure the individual attends all criminal court proceedings.”
Nava is expected to appear in court on the new charges on Nov. 8.
