LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Ori Solomon, the property manager who faces charges in connection with an illegal biolab at a Las Vegas short-term rental, will be released from custody while he awaits trial.
Channel 13 senior reporter Alyssa Bethencourt explains the update on Solomon's federal case:
Solomon appeared in federal court on Friday afternoon and was released on his own recognizance, with certain conditions.
He has to surrender any passport, is not allowed to leave the country and must notify the court if he plans to leave Clark County, and must not possess a firearm or any other weapon.
Friday's hearing focused on federal firearm charges against Solomon. An Israeli citizen in the U.S. on a non-immigrant visa, Solomon is not allowed to possess firearms. Prosecutors say multiple guns were seized from his home, according to an affidavit obtained by Channel 13.
Solomon also faces a criminal charge in Clark County for the improper disposal of hazardous waste.
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He was arrested on Saturday after local and federal investigators discovered what has been called an illegal biological lab inside a home he managed near Washington Avenue and Hollywood Boulevard.
Investigators have recovered suspected biological materials and lab equipment. At this point, authorities tell us testing on those materials is still underway, and it's not yet clear exactly what was found.
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Who is Ori Solomon?
Documents obtained by Channel 13 amid this ongoing investigation shed more light on who Solomon is.
Channel 13 senior reporter Mary Kielar explains what we know about him and how investigators believe he was involved:
Investigators say they were tipped off by someone who worked at the home on Sugar Springs Drive. Days later, police identified Solomon as the property manager.
"We have no knowledge that he had any expertise in that area or he's somewhat of a trained biologist, no," said Chris Delzotto, special agent in charge of the FBI's Las Vegas field office.
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Authorities say Solomon works for a Chinese citizen named Jia Bei Zhu, who goes by the alias David He. Property records identified Zhu as the owner of the home on Sugar Springs Drive.
He is jailed in California and faces charges related to the 2023 investigation into an illegal laboratory in Reedley, California, near Fresno. In a warehouse linked to Zhu, investigators found pathogens, including samples of COVID-19 and other diseases, as well as hundreds of transgenic mice and boxes of adulterated and misbranded medical tests, which Zhu is accused of illegally selling.
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Investigators say much of what was found in the Reedley warehouse is consistent with materials found in the so-called lab in Las Vegas. They also claim Solomon manages more than 30 rental properties in the valley.
It could take months to find out why the materials and equipment were there, or what they were being used for.
We'll continue to follow up with authorities about this investigation and bring you updates as we learn more.