A jury has returned guilty verdicts against 33-year-old George Claros (dob 2/5/92): two counts of Kidnapping – 1st Degree, two counts of Sexual Assault, and one count of Battery with Intent to Commit Sexual Assault.
Claros was arrested in November of 2021 after he picked up a 52-year-old woman who was walking down 4th Street, beat her, and then sexually assaulted her multiple times. The victim reported the attack to Reno Police shortly after being released by Claros. The investigation revealed that the victim was walking to the Diamond’s Casino when the defendant pulled up alongside her and insisted she get into his truck. After getting into the vehicle, instead of taking her to the casino, Claros took her to a dirt lot where he blocked her in and demanded that she have sex with him. After the victim repeatedly told Claros “No,” he punched her multiple times in the face and head, before driving her to an apartment complex’s underground parking garage. There, Claros repeatedly sexually assaulted the victim. After getting spooked by noises in the garage, the defendant took the woman to his storage unit on Telegraph Street, where he locked her inside the unit and again repeatedly sexually assaulted her. Several hours after the victim was first picked up by Claros, she was dropped off at Ferrari and 4th Street, where she was able to contact a friend and report the assault to RPD.
During the trial, Deputy District Attorney Darcy Cameron questioned the lead detective on the case, as well as the regional SART (Sexual Assault Response Team) nurse, who both stated that homeless women, like the victim in the case, are commonly targeted for such sexual violence. The victim, who unfortunately passed away before the trial began, had previously testified and her recorded testimony was played for the jury. Among other things, the victim relayed how she fought back against the defendant, and how she memorized his license plate as he drove away so she could report him. Evidence introduced at trial, to include video surveillance, corroborated the victim’s testimony.
Sentencing is set for June 9th before the Honorable Scott N. Freeman, who presided over the trial.
A recording of the press release for media can be heard below.
