LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — According to the district attorney’s statement on Tuesday, the Israeli official implicated in a Las Vegas sex sting operation did not appear before a judge and secured bail before departing the country.

Tom Artiom Alexandrovich, 38, is charged with luring a child using a computer for sexual purposes, as reported by police. This charge can lead to a prison term ranging from 1 to 10 years.

Police noted that Alexandrovich was attending the Black Hat USA 2025 cybersecurity conference in Las Vegas. Information from an Israeli government website states that Alexandrovich holds the position of head of the Technological Defense Division at the Israel National Cyber Directorate.

Court documents, initially reported by the 8 News Now Investigators on Monday, reveal that on Wednesday, Aug. 6, Alexandrovich engaged in an online conversation with a decoy, who was pretending to be a 15-year-old girl, regarding a meeting for “sexual contact.” Police apprehended Alexandrovich as he attempted to rendezvous with the decoy.

In Nevada, criminal proceedings start in justice courts, managed by townships. These courts, like Henderson Justice Court, provide a standard bail schedule enabling defendants to post bail for most charges, including felonies. Alexandrovich’s apprehension involved the FBI and federal agents, but the prosecution is being handled by the Clark County District Attorney’s Office. Collaborations of federal, state, and local partners through task forces address most sex-crime cases in Southern Nevada.

Court records reveal that Alexandrovich posted a $10,000 bail soon after his detention. This procedure permits defendants to pay the bail fee while foregoing their right to a probable cause hearing overseen by the justice court.

“There was no court involvement,” Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson said Tuesday. “There was no prosecution involvement. This is the normal practice. It is very standard in this community and many communities across the country.”

A 2020 Nevada Supreme Court decision changed the state’s bail system, making the payment “necessary to reasonably ensure the defendant’s appearance.”

“He was booked into jail. He posted the $10,000 bail very quickly and was released before his case even needed to go before a judge,” Wolfson said, “And it’s not only this, individual defendant. There were three or four others that, like him, posted the bail right away, so there was no court appearance.”

Alexandrovich did not appear before a judge and posted bond before his state-entitled probable cause hearing and before prosecutors filed a criminal complaint against him, the 8 News Now Investigators reported Monday. Thus, no judge could put any added restrictions on his release. While a judge later reviewed the bail, there was no physical hearing and the judge had no mechanism to add further restrictions.

In addition to Alexandrovich, seven other defendants face similar charges connected to the sting.

Interim U.S. Attorney for Nevada Sigal Chattah blamed Wolfson and a “state court judge” for failing to require Alexandrovich to surrender his passport after posting bail, however, neither had anything to do with the process. The justice court sets the standard bail schedule, and the process to bail out at that point post-arrest does not involve the district attorney’s office nor any judge.

“The individual who fled our country should have had his passport seized by the state authorities,” Chattah said. “He must be returned immediately to face justice.”

A statement from the U.S. State Department incorrectly reported that Alexandrovich appeared before a judge.

“The Department of State is aware that Tom Artiom Alexandrovich, an Israeli citizen, was arrested in Las Vegas and given a court date for charges related to soliciting sex electronically from a minor,” a post on “X” from the department said Monday. “He did not claim diplomatic immunity and was released by a state judge pending a court date. Any claims that the U.S. government intervened are false.”

Prosecutors had yet to formally file charges against Alexandrovich as of Tuesday. A status check in his case was scheduled before a judge on Aug. 27. That day, a judge will hear from prosecutors to see if the criminal complaint – the actual charging document – was filed. At that point, the judge can re-address bail and place further restrictions should she deem them necessary. It was not immediately clear if Alexandrovich would appear in court in person that day or have an attorney appear in his presence.

Attorneys David Chesnoff and Richard Schonfeld were representing Alexandrovich, a filing indicted Tuesday. Wolfson said he had no concerns about his return.

“We intend on defending this matter within the justice system, not the media,” Chesnoff and Schonfeld said in a statement. “People should not rush to judgment and everyone is presumed innocent. Finally, his release was consistent with normal procedures and bail was posted.”

A representative from the Henderson Justice Court did not return a request for comment.