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Man arrested for sexual assault at Havasupai, FBI looking for victims

Posted at 10:48 AM, Dec 07, 2017
and last updated 2017-12-07 20:01:04-05

Officials are asking for the public's help to potentially identify victims who may have been sexually assaulted at a popular Arizona tourist spot between 2002 and 2017.

According to the FBI, in May 2017, a Canadian tourist and her friends were visiting Havasupai for a wedding when they were approached by 53-year-old Fydel Jones, offering to perform a traditional sweat lodge ceremony for the group.

Jones reportedly performed two separate ceremonies for members of the wedding party, during which he sexually assaulted the victim and made "sexual contact" with another woman in the party.

FBI officials said they have received other reports of Jones performing similar acts with other tourists over the last 15 years.

Jones was indicted October 10 on seven counts of abusive sexual contact and one count of felony theft. He was taken into custody on October 30.

Authorities are asking anyone who may have had a similar experience to fill out an online questionnaire, and be prepared to potentially be contacted by the FBI.

Havasupai is a well-known tourist destination that requires a 20-plus-mile round-trip hike in the Grand Canyon to visit the various waterfalls and scenic locations.