Teacher Charged with Kidnapping Teen Girl

Clark County School District police have released more information about the November 1 arrest of a Las Vegas kindergarten teacher. The 44-year-old man, M.S., was arrested for allegedly kidnapping a teenage girl, who was found at his home.

M.S. became a person of interest in the case of the missing Henderson girl after CCSD police became aware of the man’s interactions with the girl over social media. When initially questioned about the girl’s whereabouts on October 31, M.S. denied knowing anything about her location. Police then performed surveillance on the man’s home and found the missing teen unharmed.

The man was charged with kidnapping, even though the girl was a willing participant, according to CCSD police. He also faces charges of child abuse, obstruction of justice, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

Nevada Kidnapping Laws

Kidnapping is a felony crime in Nevada under NRS 200.310, and in some cases can also be charged as a federal offense. First degree kidnapping occurs when a defendant willfully confines, seizes, entices, abducts, conceals, or carries away a person with the intent to do any of the following:

• Hold the victim for ransom
• Exact money or valuable assets from the victim’s relatives, friends, or others for the return or disposition of the victim
• Commit sexual assault, robbery, or extortion upon the victim
• Inflict substantial bodily harm upon or kill the victim

According to state law, it also qualifies as kidnapping when a defendant entices, takes, leads, carries away, or detains a minor with the intent to imprison, confine, or keep them from his or her guardians, or if the defendant intends to commit upon the minor any illegal act. 

First degree kidnapping is a Category A Felony in Nevada, and sentencing depends upon whether or not the victim sustained substantial bodily harm during the ordeal. In the case of M.S., the girl did not suffer bodily injury, and so he could face such penalties as:

• 15 years in state prison, with possibility of parole after a minimum of 5 years; or
• Life in prison, with the possibility of parole after a minimum of 5 years served.

To learn more about this felony offense, visit the informative Kidnapping page on our website.