DNA sample led to teen's arrest in crime spree

LAS VEGAS - A DNA sample obtained during a routine police stop in June led police to arrest a 17-year-old now charged with murder and a series of downtown rapes.

Justin Porter was arraigned Tuesday before Justice of the Peace Nancy Oesterle on four dozen charges, including murder in the June 8 shooting death of former monk Gyaltso Lungtok, 31.

A criminal complaint filed Tuesday charges Porter with 48 counts that arise from 13 incidents involving 16 victims, all but three of whom were women.

In all the incidents, police said an intruder forced his way into a residence. In six of the incidents, women said they were sexually assaulted. The crimes occurred from Feb. 1 to June 9.

In mid-June, Metro Police were on alert for a serial rapist in downtown, according to court documents. Early in the morning of June 13, a detective spotted a man who resembled a composite sketch that victims helped create.

Porter and his mother Angela Smith agreed to let the detective use a cotton swab to obtain a DNA sample from the inside of Porter's mouth, court documents state.

On Aug. 10, police were notified that the DNA obtained from Porter matched DNA police gathered at two of the rape scenes.

Porter was arrested two days later in Chicago. He waived extradition and returned to Las Vegas for arraignment.

Oesterle ordered Porter held without bail in the Clark County Detention Center. He is scheduled to return to court Aug. 31, when a preliminary hearing could be scheduled in his case.