Inset: Tavari Pearson (Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department). Background: The area where Tavari Pearson attacked his youth camp therapist in Las Vegas, Nev. (KTNV/YouTube).
A Nevada teen is headed to prison after committing crimes while on probation for a vicious attack on a therapist, which included hitting the woman on the head with a rock, pushing her into a ravine and sexually assaulting her.
Tavari Pearson, who was 15 at the time of the 2022 attack, pleaded guilty in 2024 to attempted sexual assault and attempted battery to commit sexual assault, with court records showing he entered an Alford plea, meaning he acknowledged that prosecutors had enough evidence to convict him but did not admit guilt.
Pearson, now 19, was sentenced to six months in jail and probation. Prosecutors wanted an eight-to-20-year sentence, but it was suspended by a judge who wanted to give Pearson a chance at probation, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Court records viewed by Law&Crime show the teen was scheduled to go on trial on Sept. 14 in a separate case after being charged with car theft and ownership or possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. He pleaded guilty to the charges on Sept. 2 and is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 4.
Court minutes show that due to the September plea and conviction, a local judge revoked Pearson's probation on Sept. 23 and sentenced him to eight to 20 years in prison. He was given credit for three years and six months already served.
When Pearson attacked the therapist, he was housed at Spring Mountain Youth Camp in Las Vegas. Clark County describes it as a juvenile facility that houses male youth between the ages of 12 and 18 who have been adjudicated for delinquent acts.
"This division provides for the therapeutic, educational, social, medical and recreational needs of approximately 240 young men," the site says.
Pearson was accused of pushing the victim — his county-contracted therapist — to the ground and pinning her arms down after knocking a walkie-talkie out of her hand. He tried to kiss the woman and then sexually assaulted her before pushing her down a ravine.
"She was basically left to die in a ravine," the victim's attorney, Robert Murdock, told local ABC affiliate KTNV in 2024.
Clark County settled a lawsuit last year filed by the victim, who accused the county of putting her in harm's way by not disclosing "severe" behavioral issues that Pearson allegedly had in his record, including an alleged sexual assault on someone else. The woman also won a $20.5 million civil judgement against Pearson.
The teen was kicked off his high school track team right before the attack. His therapist suggested they take a walk outside to discuss him being upset about his removal when he attacked her.
Pearson was originally charged with sexual assault and attempted murder.
"Everyone deserves a second chance, but at the same time, this was someone that, in the state's view, was committing a very violent and dangerous felony, and that's why we asked for prison to begin with," Clark County Deputy District Attorney Michael Allmon told the Review-Journal. "It's unfortunate that wasn't done, and we see that he was out committing more crimes shortly after his release."