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Apr. 14, 2008
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Durango teacher accused of sex acts with student

By ANTONIO PLANAS
REVIEW-JOURNAL

Angel Benjamin Menes
Police said a parent alleged teacher had sex with student

A Durango High School teacher was arrested over the weekend on suspicion he had sexual contact with a student, Las Vegas police said Sunday.

Angel Benjamin Menes, 39, was arrested Saturday night by officers with the Metropolitan Police Department's sex crimes unit. He was booked into the Clark County Detention Center on one count each of sexual assault and sexual misconduct with a student.

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    • Police said the arrest was made after a parent contacted police alleging that Menes had engaged in sexual acts with a student.

    Police said Menes might have victimized other students at the campus near Russell Road and Rainbow Boulevard.

    Clark County School District Superintendent Walt Rulffes said that any time a teacher is accused of having sexually assaulted a student, the teacher is removed from the classroom immediately. "If there was an arrest, of course we would remove them from any interaction with students," Rulffes said.

    Menes worked as a long-term substitute, Rulffes said.

    Police said Menes was a driver's education teacher at Durango. The school's Web site lists him as a social studies teacher.

    Las Vegas police didn't say when the crime is alleged to have occurred, whether it happened on school grounds or how many students they suspect might have been victims.

    Menes, who wasn't listed as an inmate at the detention center late Sunday, couldn't be reached for comment.

    Terri Miller, president of Stop Educator Sexual Abuse, Misconduct and Exploitation, said the allegations against Menes are particularly troubling because there might be multiple victims.

    Miller said that under Nevada's state law, a school employee who is convicted of sex with a minor isn't required to register as a sex offender if it is the only charge he or she is convicted of. Miller has been lobbying the Legislature to change that law. She said the loophole allows teachers to prey on students and move from district to district.

    "It would be easy for them to move to another jurisdiction and gain employment working with children again," Miller said. "And that's just not right."

    Anyone with information concerning Menes' activities is urged to contact Las Vegas police at 828-3421, or, for those who wish to provide information anonymously, 385-5555.

    Contact reporter Antonio Planas at aplanas@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4638.



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    مراد wrote on May 05, 2008 12:16 PM: liev you yourk aoraet you


    مراد wrote on May 05, 2008 12:05 PM: Iyou sore you ÷÷÷اه


    مراد wrote on May 05, 2008 11:59 AM: hopy you new


    Stephen wrote on April 18, 2008 04:42 PM: I was a teacher for six years and accused of a sex crime with a student under the age of 12. This was bogus! When the first alligation arose it was from my assistant, not the child. When the principal talked to the student she denied any bad touch or anything else. My para was not satisfied, and continued to make claims of possible sexual misconduct. The child again was questioned. Again the child said the same thing as before. My para kept up her claims. The police were finally called in. Guess what, the child again claimed I had done nothing wrong. But the cop wasn't happy about that so she asked her partner to leave the room and questioned the child alone - without audio recording or video tapping. After that illegal questioning I became the most henious teacher in all of the state I live. It was said that I started abusing the child on the first day of school, every day, and all the way up to the time of my arrest. Wow!!! No evidence supported this crazy testimony. Doctors examined the child and saw that everything was okay, but the female doctor wasn't happy with her findings, so she added, "But that doesn't mean that nothing happened."
    I spent three years in prison and have 12 years probation for something I did not do.
    Teacher's are at risk of this kind of claim. If evidence supports the claim, then by all means do what needs to be done to stop the abuse.
    Always make sure the person you are accusing of a crime is guilty. Let evidence prove one's guilt, not just an unfounded and baseless claim.
    Thank you.


    one love! Faith wrote on April 17, 2008 10:09 PM: if i ever see him on a street hes going to die.


    good driver wrote on April 16, 2008 01:39 PM: drivers education $250
    drivers sexual education $50
    using your rollover minutes to call your mom $1.70
    incurable std... priceless!


    Cocoa Puff wrote on April 16, 2008 01:19 PM: Well I don't think it's only his fault....I mean, it takes two to tango so why only punish him. I'll admit that he shouldn't have gotten involved, but the student should have known better. Whatever he gets, I think the girl should get it too.

    ..and another thing, that stupid law that says teachers aren't required to register as a sex offender is a bunch of bullspit.


    SD wrote on April 15, 2008 03:04 PM: its sad. For both him, the victim, and so many others =[


    SD wrote on April 15, 2008 03:01 PM: Ewwwwwwwwwwwwww Mr. "Angel" is gross.
    The girl is hellaa stupid for gettin w/ that nasty guy hes like eww. She probably consented cuz he's so tiny I could probably kick his ass and I'm a tiny lil girl! I don't think he had any weapons or anything. haha but I put the blame on Mr. Menes EW GROSSS !

    TEACHERS OR "LONG TERM SUBS" WAIT HES NOT A LTS ANYMORE BECAUSE HES A DRIVER'S ED TEACHER. SO TEACHING IS A PROFESSION THAT IS RESPECTED BUT NOW ALL THESE CREEPY GUYS ARE STARTING TO MAKE EVERY MALE TEACHER LOOK BAD BECAUSE OF THIS. UGH! I ALWAYS KNEW HE WAS A WEIRDO. I HAD HIM AS A SUB A COUPLE OF TIMES LAST YEAR.


    JOe wrote on April 15, 2008 12:12 AM: this is in response to the message posted by Ex-Desert Rat

    If you have information that this weirdo has attempted to have sex with another minor....do the right thing and contact the police...this exactly the information the police is asking for....do the right thing. Let's lock up this weirdo for a long time. If you are a good person you will do the right thing.


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