Former Vegas charter school teacher accused of student sex

LAS VEGAS (AP) - A 29-year-old former Las Vegas charter school teacher is accused of sexual assault and lewdness involving a 9-year-old student.

Records show that Samuel Duarte was being held Thursday at the Clark County jail pending a bail hearing Monday on charges that could get him up to life in prison if he’s convicted.

His attorney didn’t immediately respond to messages.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports (https://bit.ly/2lzW6hA ) that Duarte was a special education teacher for several months at Mater Academy in southeast Las Vegas.

A Clark County school official says Duarte previously worked for eight years in the district as a special education aide.

According to police, his alleged victim told her father that Duarte threatened to kill her if she told anyone about gifts and attention he was giving her.

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Information from: Las Vegas Review-Journal, https://www.lvrj.com