Las Vegas Tattoo Artist Pleads Guilty to Attempted Sexual Assault

A Las Vegas tattoo artist has pleaded guilty to felony attempted sexual assault involving two teenage girls, according to court records reported by 8 News Now.

Souriyadeth Markthepharack, 55, admitted to the charges on Tuesday. The plea reduces the initial legal jeopardy he faced following an incident in June.

When the incident occurred on June 7, Markthepharack originally faced 10 different charges. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department arrest report stated that he sexually assaulted two girls, aged 14 to 15 and 16, after buying them vodka and drinking with them.

The report also noted the girls were smoking marijuana at the time. Markthepharack told police he did not know the girls were underage, though he admitted to having sex with them.

Tattoo Artist Arrested in Las Vegas for Sexual Assault and Kidnapping

The investigation began after a parent of one of the girls contacted authorities to report the incident. According to the arrest report, Markthepharack met the girls at a park before they went to his trailer. Once there, he began giving one of the girls a tattoo, a process that stopped when she reported feeling “odd.”

The guilty pleas carry a significant sentence. Markthepharack faces life in prison, though he may be eligible for parole after serving a minimum of 10 years.

His path to sentencing followed a period of evasion. When police first attempted to contact him, Markthepharack reportedly tried to avoid them, citing a fear of being deported. He was eventually taken into custody by officers on Aug. 27.

During his police interviews, Markthepharack identified himself as a tattoo artist with 30 years of experience and stated he was from Laos.

District Court Judge Bita Yeager is scheduled to oversee the formal sentencing on Dec. 22.