HORACE LANGFORD JR. / PVT District Attorney Bob Beckett outlines efforts being made to solve a sexual assault case in which both the attacker and the victim are unidentified. At left, a grim Sheriff Tony DeMeo also spoke. At right, Det. David Boruchowitz is leading the investigation. SPECIAL TO THE PVT Enhanced images from the videotape involving an assault on this young girl may, it is hoped, serve to identify and locate her. Anyone with any knowledge of the incident is asked to contact the Nye County Sheriff’s Department as soon as possible. This enhanced image shows the attacker on videotape. Advertisement

The Nye County Sheriff's Office said a portion of a video showing a 5-year-old girl being sexually assaulted was filmed in Nye County.

The footage, described by Nye County Sheriff Tony DeMeo as "voyeur-type, peeping Tom" filming features a second girl, estimated to be between 10 and 12 years old.

Detectives have confirmed that this part of the video was filmed in Nye County, although a specific location was not released.

The second girl on the video is "safe and well," according to the sheriff's office, and is not a victim of sexual assault.

Meanwhile, state and national law enforcement agencies continue to work to identify the man who made a tape of himself heinously sexually assaulting a 5-year-old girl.

"If you could use your imagination, it's the absolute worst you can imagine," Boruchowitz said of the filmed attack.

The video was turned into the Nye County Sheriff's Office Sept. 9 by Darren Tuck, 26, a resident of Pahrump.

Boruchowitz said Tuck actually had the tape since May of this year, waiting five months before handing it over to authorities.

Tuck's attorney, Tom Gibson, however, said that the five-month estimate given by the sheriff's office "is greatly exaggerated," although he did not give an exact time frame.

Gibson also said that reports of Tuck showing the video to other people were "absolutely untrue."

Although Tuck told investigators that he found the tape in the desert, the detective said the tape "wasn't in the condition you would expect to have been found in the desert."

Tuck was arrested and booked on two charges of possessing child pornography but released on his own recognizance.

He is scheduled to appear in court in November, although charges have not yet been filed by the office of District Attorney Bob Beckett.

Boruchowitz said there is no reason to believe that Tuck had any involvement in making the tape, as the camera angle indicated the film was made using a tripod.

"There's no evidence at this time to indicate he would be involved in making this video," Boruchowitz said. Tuck, however, reportedly has not been cooperative with authorities until recently.

A meeting with Tuck, Gibson, and the DA's representatives was held Tuesday afternoon.

"There is a spirit of cooperation between my client and DA's office now," Gibson said later. "He's told them everything he can."

The defense attorney added that he was confident the evidence would show that Tuck was not guilty of any crime.

Some advances have been made in the otherwise frustrating investigation, however, including information establishing a possible time frame for when the video may have been made.

The dress the sexual assault victim is wearing in the tape has been identified as a Laura Dare Leopard Rose dress, from the company's 2003 spring catalogue, DeMeo said.

In addition, Boruchowitz said a television in the background of the video tape is estimated by the manufacturer to be a 2003 model, and a DVR in the video is thought to be a 2004 model.

DeMeo added he approached the FBI to investigate issuing a John Doe warrant for the man in the video.

The sheriff's office has been assisted by numerous law enforcement agencies nationwide.

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department has stepped in and helped to enhance video images, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children has also offered their assistance.

Locally, the Volunteer Homeland Reserve Unit (a local organization made up of retired law enforcement officers) will be manning a call station for tips (see related article on page A1), and the Sheriff's Auxiliary Unit have also been enlisted to help field the phone calls Boruchowitz said have "literally been pouring in" from across the country.

In fact, DeMeo said he received the tip about the dress from a woman in Charlotte, N.C., who contacted him after seeing the photo.

The sheriff's office has also established an email address for anyone who has information that may lead to victims or the suspect: findchild@nyesheriff.net.

Anyone with information regarding the crime may call 775-751-7000.