As the Man burned and the festival officially wrapped, Pershing County law enforcement was
still working cases that began on the playa. In a pair of post-event press releases, Sheriff Jerry
Allen detailed a sexual-assault arrest, a felony drug-and-firearms arrest, and confirmed that
deputies are continuing to investigate a separate homicide reported during the event.
On Sept. 1, a woman reported to the Pershing County Sheriff’s Office that she had been sexually
assaulted at the 2025 Burning Man Festival. According to the Sheriff, the victim provided a clear
description—no small feat amid a city of thousands. The following day, Sept. 2, deputies located
and arrested Alessandro Boshant, 34, described as a southern California man, as the lone suspect
in the case.
Boshant is being charged with four counts of sexual assault (NRS 200.366.2B) and one count of
burglary of a structure (NRS 205.060.1D). His bail was set by the court at $640,000. The Sheriff
noted that all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
In a separate incident, deputies conducted a traffic stop at approximately 2:05 a.m. on Sept. 1 for
a Burning Man permit violation in the area of the Esplanade. A probable-cause search of the
vehicle operated by Michael Olney led to the recovery of two firearms, which the Sheriff says
Olney is legally prohibited from possessing, as well as large quantities of several illicit
substances and items consistent with intent to sell or distribute.
Olney was arrested and booked on the following Nevada Revised Statutes, per the Sheriff’s
Office:
∙NRS 202.360.1 – Possession of a firearm by a prohibited person (two counts)
∙NRS 453.321.2B – Sell, transport, give, or attempt to sell/transport/give a Schedule I or II
controlled substance
∙NRS 453.3385.1A – Trafficking a controlled substance over 100 grams but less than 400
grams
∙NRS 202.350.1A – Manufacture, import, possess, or use a dangerous weapon
Bail was set at $92,500. As with all cases, Olney is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Separately, deputies released a description of a homicide victim tied to the event last week and
asked for the public’s help as they work to identify next of kin and advance the investigation.
The victim is described as a white man, between 35 and 40 years old, about 6' tall, with short
brown hair and facial hair. The unidentified victim was found dead in a pool of blood around
9:15 p.m. on Saturday, around the start of the burn within Black Rock City on the Ishiguro street
ring between 8:00 - 8:45, the location of the camps are described using the face of the clock to
indicate position.
The Sheriff’s Office said additional details would be released as appropriate and did not name
the victim pending further steps in the case. Anyone with information that could assist
investigators is asked to contact the Pershing County Sheriff’s Office at 775-273-2641.
While traffic out of Black Rock City thinned and the highway reopened, deputies emphasized
that investigations don’t stop when the festival ends. In the sexual-assault case, deputies credited
the victim’s cooperation and a detailed suspect description with helping locate a person of
interest quickly, even as the temporary city was being taken down. In the felony drug-and-gun
case, the Sheriff said items recovered during the search suggested distribution activity, prompting
the trafficking and weapons charges.
Both arrested individuals will move through the court process in Pershing County, where
prosecutors will make formal charging decisions and the defense will have opportunities to
respond. The homicide inquiry remains active. The Sheriff’s Office thanked festivalgoers for
their patience during rolling escorts and traffic holds throughout the week and urged anyone with
relevant information about any of the cases to come forward.
Editor’s note: This post-event roundup is based on Pershing County Sheriff’s Office press
releases dated Sept. 1–2, 2025. All subjects named above are considered innocent unless proven
guilty in a court of law. We will continue to update this story.
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