Seattle homeless man accused of kidnapping, raping 5-year-old released from jail

Seattle police arrested 46-year-old Viensavanh (Vieng Savanh) Boutdavong on Saturday at Tent City 3, a sanctioned homeless camp in the Mount Baker neighborhood, after he was allegedly caught raping the child inside his tent.

At a first appearance hearing Sunday, prosecutors argued there was probable cause to hold Boutdavong on suspicion of Rape of a Child in the First Degree and Kidnapping in the First Degree with Sexual Motivation, asking bail to be set at $750,000. A judge agreed, finding probable cause and setting bail.

But under Washington law, prosecutors had until Wednesday to formally file charges. When the deadline passed without a filing, Boutdavong was released.

“If prosecutors could prove a child molestation or rape case or another crime beyond a reasonable doubt today, the case would be filed,” Casey McNerthney, spokesperson for the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, told KOMO News. “We are confident in the ongoing investigative work of Seattle Police, and King County prosecutors will continue to be in contact with the case detective.”

According to Seattle police and court records, a fellow Tent City 3 resident called 911 shortly after 9:00 pm Saturday, reporting Boutdavong was trying to lure the child into his tent. The caller told dispatchers the girl “did not belong to him.”

When officers arrived, witnesses said the girl had already been reunited with her mother. But during questioning, the child told officers she was in pain, pointed to her vaginal area, and said she had been assaulted both that day and the day before.

Other residents corroborated concerns about Boutdavong’s behavior, with one man reporting he had to physically intervene when Boutdavong tried to lead the girl deeper into the encampment. Police later found Boutdavong inside a green tent with a blue tarp, which the victim identified as the site of the assaults.

The girl was transported to Seattle Children’s Hospital for medical evaluation and a sexual-assault exam.

Tent City 3, operated by SHARE/WHEEL and supported by the City of Seattle, has been a long-standing source of controversy. It rotates between host sites, including city-owned properties, and has repeatedly been linked to neighborhood safety concerns.

In 2024, leaders of the nearby Hoa Mai Vietnamese Bilingual Preschool sent a letter to City Hall decrying “persistent harassment” and violent crime tied to encampments in Mount Baker. The preschool director, Gloria Hodge, cited multiple stabbings, shootings, homicides, and burglaries in the area, warning: “It’s very challenging to operate the program for the children when it’s constant crime in the area and we’re not being heard.”

Parents and staff eventually hired private security to protect students. City officials acknowledged the problems but insisted Tent City 3 was a sanctioned site managed by SHARE/WHEEL under coordination with the King County Regional Homelessness Authority.

Court records show Boutdavong has used multiple aliases, including Alfred L. Labossiere, Lao Boy Tony, and Viengsavanh Tony Boutdavong. Authorities flagged him as “armed and dangerous” in arrest paperwork. Prosecutors noted this was the first case involving him since 1999, though details of the earlier cases were not disclosed.

For now, Boutdavong is free, though the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office says charges could still be filed as investigators continue to build the case.