Nevada Class President Charged for Recording Classmates' Sexual Assault

The 15-year-old allegedly filmed a group of students assaulting another student during a school trip to Costa Rica.

Jan. 30, 2026 at 9:39pm

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A 15-year-old class president in Nevada has been charged with possession of a visual presentation depicting sexual conduct of a child. Authorities allege the teen recorded a group of eighth graders sexually assaulting another 14-year-old student during a school field trip to Costa Rica in April 2025.

Why it matters

This case highlights the serious legal consequences minors can face for recording and possessing evidence of sexual assault, even if they are not the perpetrators. It also raises concerns about student safety and supervision on school trips.

The details

According to prosecutors, the 15-year-old's face can be seen in a 2-minute, 16-second video that depicts the "graphic and violent sexual assault" of the 14-year-old victim. The teen has been charged with possession of child pornography, while two other students involved are no longer enrolled in the school district.

  • The alleged sexual assault occurred during a school field trip to Costa Rica in April 2025.
  • The 15-year-old was indicted earlier this month for the incident.

The players

15-year-old class president

A 15-year-old student who has been charged with possession of a visual presentation depicting sexual conduct of a child for allegedly recording the sexual assault of a classmate.

14-year-old victim

The 14-year-old student who was allegedly sexually assaulted by a group of classmates during the school trip, with the incident recorded by the 15-year-old class president.

Clark County School District

The school district in Nevada where the accused 15-year-old student and the victim attended school.

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What they’re saying

“We represent the victim in this matter and appreciate the work that has been done by law enforcement, including the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and the Clark County District Attorney's office. We are confident that the judicial system will render justice for our clients.”

— David Chesnoff, Richard Schonfeld, and J. Randall Jones, Attorneys for the victim

“We are concerned about what is clearly disparate treatment between how [the defendant] is being treated compared to other, similarly situated, individuals. Nonetheless, we look forward to defending [the accused] in this case.”

— Joshua Judd, Attorney for the accused 15-year-old (8 News Now)

What’s next

The judge will decide on the accused 15-year-old's bail status at a hearing on Tuesday.

The takeaway

This case highlights the serious legal consequences minors can face for recording and possessing evidence of sexual assault, even if they are not the perpetrators. It also raises concerns about student safety and supervision on school trips, and the need for schools to have robust policies and training to prevent and respond to such incidents.