(1/30/08 – Initial BBT Report)

William Allen Beeson, 58, a former English and theater arts teacher at Virginia City High School, in Virginia City, Nevada has been arrested on suspicion of felony sexual assault of a child under the age of 16, suspicion of felony sexual assault and suspicion of misdemeanor unlawful conduct with a child.

Following his arrest Beeson was held on $150,000 bond.

Beeson was fired from the school last August after having been placed on administrative leave in the wake of accusations of improperly touching a male student in April.

The current charges are the result of the alleged incident last year.

Officers are investigating previous cases in which Beeson was accused by two former students of improperly touching them in the 1990s.

1/31/08 – Bail Reduction

Dozens of supporters watch as judge lowers William Beeson’s bail from $150,000 to $25,000.

Bail was conditioned upon Beeson having no contact with alleged victims or their families, surrendering his passport and not leaving northern Nevada.

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(8/13/07 – Initial BBT Report)

Mark Zana, 39, a former fifth-grade teacher at Newton Elementary School and Kesterson Elementary School in Henderson, Nevada charged with nine counts of lewdness and 11 counts of child pornography has been found guilty on 10 of the 21 counts.

The guilty verdicts were returned on charges of both lewdness with a child and possession of sexual photos of a minor.

Sentencing is set for October 4th.

Zana was arrested in September 2005 after a former student who moved to Colorado confided in her mother about improper contact with her teacher, Mark Zana, while the student was attending school in Henderson, Nevada. Colorado authorities contacted Nevada authorities which initiated an investigation.

During the ensuing investigation Henderson Police detectives served a search warrant at Zana’s home taking his computers which were then subject to forensic analysis which allegedly revealed images and video clips of suspected child pornography.

During the course of the investigation detectives spoke with students and former students about the touching allegations and discovered an additional alleged victim.

During a preliminary hearing for Zana in December 2005 the original alleged victim who was a second-grader when Zana taught her in 1998 testified that Zana, who often used candies as a reward for students, on one occasion asked her during class whether she wanted a Jolly Rancher. The girl says that she replied “Yes” and that Zana had her reach into his pocket to retrieve the candy. The girl testified, “After I touched his penis, I grabbed a Jolly Rancher. I kind of looked at him, and he just kind of raised his eyebrows and smirked. But he didn’t stop me”.

A then 13-year-old former student of Zana’s testified to a similar experience testifying that “she stuck her hand in Zana’s pants pocket to play with his keys during reading time. Instead Zana guided her hand until it met his penis”.

As the investigation and case against Zana proceeded, a total of six female alleged victims were discovered over the course of his years teaching in the Clark County School District. Zana was initially hired in 1996 to teach at Newton Elementary School. In 1999, he transferred to Kesterson Elementary School.

Also discovered during this case was that Mark Zana faced similar accusations in 1993 while teaching in Pennsylvania. There Zana was accused of corruption of minors and indecent assault. There under an agreement reached in court, Zana was allowed to enter a program called “Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition, a program for first-time offenders. By his participation in that program it made it possible for him to have the incident erased from his criminal record. Records of his arrest and criminal history were expunged making it impossible for the Clark County School District in Nevada to learn of his past history when he was hired there in 1996.

9/12/07 – Sentencing Postponed

On 9/11/07 District Judge Jackie Glass postponed the sentencing of Mark Zana to allow for further investigation into the possibility that a member of the jury had researched Zana on the Internet during the trial.

This information was provided to the judge’s staff by another jury member and requires a full investigation by the court.

Zana’s defense attorney Tom Pitaro, who has filed a motion for a new trial and says “There’s no doubt in my mind that he (the juror) Googled Zana.”.

Judge Glass has order all records containing juror names sealed, order the attorneys to have no contact with the former jurors and stated she intends to bring all 12 of them into court to and to question them separately to determine if the allegation is true.

12/20/07 – Sentencing

Today Mark Zana was sentenced to 22 years in prison without the possibility of parole for molesting female students and possessing child pornography.

Zana was unsuccessful in his attempt at getting his conviction over-turned because a juror researched the case online.

09/30/09 – Appeal Denied

Last week, the Nevada Supreme Court on Thursday unanimously rejected an appeal filed by Mark Zana that challenged the three lewdness with minors charges and six possession of child pornography charges for which he was convicted in December 2007.

References:

Ex-teacher loses challenge to case (09/25/09)

Former Henderson teacher sentenced to 22 years (12/20/07)

Former Teacher Mark Zana Sentenced to 22 Years (12/20/07)

Clark County Elementary Teacher May Get New Sex Abuse Trial (9/12/07)

Former teacher found guilty of lewdness, child pornography (8/13/07)

Background:

Teacher Arrested for Child Pornography

Girls tell court of touching by teacher (12/07/07)

SCHOOL DISTRICT EMPLOYEES: Arrests raise concerns (10/01/05)

School District Responds to Arrests of Two Employees

PA School Watch News Archives

(03/27/09 – Initial BadBadTeacher.com Report)

Charles Richard “Rick” Rogers, 46, a science teacher at Garrett Junior High School in Boulder City, Nevada has been arrested on 64 counts of possession of child pornography.

Rogers came to the attention of authorities on Wednesday when the Henderson, Nevada Police Department received an anonymous letter claiming Rogers had sexual images of minors. Along with the anonymous letter, was a thumb drive and two digital memory cards allegedly containing pornographic videos and images of young boys in sexual acts with men.

Reportedly, Rogers was picked up by police as he left school Thursday afternoon. Following an interview with police, he was arrested. Police obtained a warrant to search Rogers’ home, his vehicle and his classroom. Investigators confiscated computers, photographs, VHS cassette tapes, cameras and digital storage devices from both Rogers’ home and classroom.

Rogers has been placed on paid administrative leave by the school system while his case is investigated.

Following his arrest, Rogers was being held at the Clark County Detention Center in lieu of $192,000 bail.

04/02/09 – Case Updates

Bail for Charles Rogers on the child pornography counts has been reduced from $192,000 to $75,000.

Reportedly, if Rogers makes bail he will be placed on house arrest.

Boulder City police have called a news conference to discuss the addition of sexual assault charges in the case of Charles Richard Rogers.

04/03/09 – Additional Information

Charles Richard Rogers is now facing 64 counts of possession of child pornography, three counts of using a minor in the production of child pornography, two counts of sexual assault with a minor under 14 and three counts of lewdness with a child under 14

Boulder City Police have expanded their investigation after learning that Charles Richard Rogers has been a licensed foster parent since 1994 and has taken in two foster children since 1996.

Reportedly Rogers fostered one child in 1996 and another in 2004 and 2008.

04/07/09 – Bail Hearing

A bail hearing was conducted today for Charles Richard “Rick” Roger and the judge increased his bail amount from $125,000 to $1.3 million.

The bail increase came after police discovered video clips which they allege show Rogers having sex with boys.

The discovery was among the tapes, computer disks, thumb drives and photos confiscated from Rogers’ home March 26.

Rogers has a preliminary hearing set for April 21st.

04/21/09 – Preliminary Hearing Delayed

A preliminary hearing scheduled for today for Charles Rogers has been delayed, reportedly because the case is still being investigated.

Reportedly, a new preliminary hearing date has not be set as of yet.

Rogers remains in the the Clark County jail on $1.25 million bail.

05/21/09 – Preliminary Hearing Delayed Again

A preliminary hearing set for today for Charles Richard Rogers has been postponed again.

Court clerks provided no information on why the delay and a new date for Rogers’ preliminary hearing has not yet been set.

06/04/09 – Alleged Victim Speaks Out

KTNV in a special reported titled “Breaking his silence” provides “John”, now 20, an alleged victim of Rick Rogers the opportunity to tell of his alleged victimization at the age of 10.

Rogers preliminary hearing is reportedly set for June 30th.

06/29/09 – Grand Jury Indictment

A Clark County grand jury has reportedly indicted Charles Richard Rogers on a total of 76 counts, including lewdness with a minor, possessional of child pornography and sexual assault.

The indictment accuses Rogers of assaulting and molesting several young boys from 1999 to 2009.

07/13/09 – Trial Date Set

Charles Richard Rogers is set for trial on March 15, 2010, according to a statement from the District Attorney’s office.

Rogers remains in the Clark County Detention Center, held in lieu of $1.3 million bail.