(José Niño, Headline USA) A senior Israeli official facing allegations of child sex crimes in the United States did not attend a scheduled court hearing, after returning to Israel several weeks earlier, raising fears that he may be attempting to evade prosecution.
According to a report by Al-Jazeera, Tom Artiom Alexandrovich’s attorney, David Chesnoff, told a Nevada court on Wednesday, “He was instructed by me that he didn’t have to be here.”
However, Judge Barbara Schifalacqua immediately rejected this, emphasizing that suspects out on bond such as Alexandrovich “have to make every court appearance.”
She told Chesnoff, “I’m looking at his bond documents that indicate the court appearance that he was ordered to appear at was today. And so your oral – I guess – request without anything before the court to waive his appearance here today is hereby denied.”
Alexandrovich’s case has drawn controversy and global attention since news of his arrest emerged earlier this month. He was apprehended on August 6, a fact that remained undisclosed for over a week until the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department announced an undercover operation “targeting child sex predators.”
After being charged with luring or attempting to lure a child online for sexual conduct, Alexandrovich was released and allowed to return to Israel, sparking speculation about whether he had received special treatment due to the United States’ intimate ties to Israel.
Nonetheless, Trump administration officials have denied any involvement in the case, and the local district attorney argued Alexandrovich’s release was “standard.” Meanwhile, Israel’s government initially denied Alexandrovich’s arrest and attempted to minimize the situation.
During Wednesday’s proceedings, Chesnoff claimed there was an arrangement with prosecutors regarding Alexandrovich’s future court appearances: “My client is not here. We have an agreement with the state, and I informed your staff earlier that he was not going to be here.”
Yet Judge Schifalacqua insisted, “Nobody got a waiver from my court,” adding that the district attorney’s office lacks “authority to waive appearances” at a felony arraignment.
It was ultimately decided that Alexandrovich would appear remotely before the court next week, on September 3, for his arraignment, which will formally present the charges and allow him to enter a plea.
Schifalacqua also warned she may institute restrictions on his release, such as prohibiting contact with minors, use of social media, or dating platforms.
Public anger has mounted over Alexandrovich’s freedom to leave the U.S. As acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Nevada Sigal Chattah wrote, “A liberal district attorney and state court judge in Nevada FAILED TO REQUIRE AN ALLEGED CHILD MOLESTER TO SURRENDER HIS PASSPORT, which allowed him to flee our country.”
José Niño is the deputy editor of Headline USA. Follow him at x.com/JoseAlNino
