16-Year Old Accused Of Sexually Assaulting Teens

LAS VEGAS (AP) - A 16-year-old high school student is being charged as an adult with sexually assaulting at least four teenage victims in Las Vegas.

Defense attorney Dustin Marcello on Thursday cast his client, Maysen Melton, as an immature victim in encounters with older girls.

Melton was indicted Wednesday on kidnapping, sexual assault and battery charges that could get him up to life in prison.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that prosecutor Kristina Rhoades characterized Melton as a predator who knew the girls ranging in age from 15 to 18.

Rhoades says attacks occurred prior to March 2017, and that before Melton was charged as an adult he completed a Juvenile Court sex offender probation program.

Marcello says Melton had been free without bail since June while the case was taken to a grand jury.

Copyright 2018 The Associated Press.