4 dentists released from jail in Las Vegas rape case
UPDATE: Charges dropped against 4 dentists accused of rape in Las Vegas
Four dentists accused of raping a woman at a Las Vegas Strip hotel have been released from jail on their own recognizance.
Attorneys for California dentist Ali Badkoobehi said video evidence has come to light that contradicts the rape claim.
“This is a false allegation,” attorney Robert Draskovich said Thursday.
Draskovich contends that his client had consensual sex with the woman. More videos are expected, he said.
Court records indicate that prosecutors received “exculpatory evidence” at a Wednesday hearing. Prosecutor Christopher Hamner could not be reached for comment Thursday.
Badkoobehi, Saman Edalat, Sina Edalat and Poria Edalat are accused of raping a woman at the Wynn Las Vegas early Saturday, according to police records. The men were charged with sexual assault, conspiracy to commit sexual assault and kidnapping. Their charges are pending in Las Vegas Justice Court.
Craig Hendricks, the attorney representing Poria Edalat, released the following statement Thursday:
“Although our clients have been held without bail since Saturday, we are grateful to the DAs Office for agreeing to release them after they (DA) were provided and reviewed exculpatory video evidence that clearly showed extremely different circumstances than what was represented by the alleged victim.”
The defendants had to surrender their passports as a condition of their release, records show.
Jess Marchese, the attorney for Saman Edalat, said his client did not have a sexual encounter with the woman.
“There was nothing,” he said. “It’s just made up.”
The accused men are licensed dentists from California.
Contact Blake Apgar at bapgar@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5298. Follow @blakeapgar on Twitter.
