A 15-year-old individual has been identified as the second adolescent charged as an adult in relation to an alleged group sexual offense against another youth while on a school trip to Costa Rica.
Dominic Kim, a student at the private Alexander Dawson School in Las Vegas, Nevada, is implicated along with at least three other classmates in the assault during an excursion in April 2025. Prosecutors claim that Kim subsequently exhibited a video of the incident to minors at an event held at the Meadows School.
The victim’s family also filed a civil lawsuit asserting that Kim threatened to harm anyone he showed the video to if they disclosed the incident. According to Clark County Chief Deputy District Attorney Stacy Kollins, Kim persisted in tormenting the victim by showing videos long after the alleged assault occurred.
Kim was formally charged on Friday with possession of child sexual abuse material, as well as child abuse, neglect, or endangerment offenses, as reported by the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
However, defense attorney Josh Tomsheck contested the decision to try the 15-year-old as an adult, arguing that although Kim’s actions were inappropriate, his intentions were not as severe as portrayed by the prosecution. The case was transferred to the adult system by a judge who deemed the accusations to be grave, atrocious, and flagrant.
Another student, Vaughn Griffith, aged 15, was previously charged in connection with the incident. Griffith, also facing adult prosecution, allegedly recorded a video of the assault. The video evidence has been sealed by Clark County Chief Judge Jerry Wiese due to its content involving child sexual abuse material.
Authorities have indicated that the teenagers cannot face legal consequences in the US due to the incident occurring overseas.
Allegations suggest that Griffith, Kim, and two other eighth-grade students subjected a classmate to prolonged bullying during the school trip. The group reportedly stripped the victim and tossed his clothing onto a balcony at the Hotel Manuel Antonio.
Subsequently, the situation escalated further two days later when the boys restrained the victim, removed his underwear, and sexually assaulted him on a bed, according to law enforcement.
The victim, who had reportedly experienced previous bullying from the group, stated that he did not consent to the actions, as per KTNV.
Griffith’s indictment reportedly refers to a graphic video of a violent sexual assault, allegedly shared on Snapchat and saved in his ‘Memories’ for two minutes and 16 seconds.
The abuse came to light after the victim confided in his stepmother, who then reported the incident to school authorities.
The Alexander Dawson School, known for its prestigious status and annual tuition of $32,500, acknowledged being informed of the serious allegations involving male middle school students. They promptly reported the matter to law enforcement upon learning of it and refrained from further comment due to the involvement of middle school students.
Authorities have not charged at least two other students linked to the incident, citing jurisdictional challenges. As of April 4, Costa Rican officials were reportedly unaware of any formal reports of sexual assault related to the case, as the case file remains confidential.
The FBI’s Las Vegas Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force reportedly assisted in the investigation.
Kim was released on a $30,000 bond before transitioning to district court proceedings, with strict bail conditions including electronic monitoring, passport surrender, and no contact with the alleged victim or other minors.
Both Kim and Griffith are scheduled for their initial plea hearings on April 14. While Griffith pleaded not guilty, Kim has yet to enter a plea.
