Cimarron-Memorial volunteer coach arrested for having sex with student
A volunteer wrestling coach at Cimarron-Memorial High School was arrested in March after admitting to having sex with a 17-year-old student who wrestled at Arbor View High.
The arrest of Michael Barnson came after his wife found inappropriate pictures of the girl on his phone, according to a Metropolitan Police Department arrest report.
Barnson later told Clark County School District police that he and the student became close around Thanksgiving and had sex twice, the report said. Although he was not a coach at the school, police still concluded that he used his position as a volunteer to foster a relationship with the student.
Barnson is charged with two counts of kidnapping and two counts of sexual misconduct in Las Vegas Justice Court for allegedly driving the student from school with the intent to have sex, without the consent of her parents.
The district has listed him as among the 10 staff members who have been arrested for sexual misconduct or inappropriate behavior with a student from last July to April.
Contact Amelia Pak-Harvey at apak-harvey@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4630. Follow @AmeliaPakHarvey on Twitter.
Ten Clark County School District employees have been arrested since July 1 on charges related to inappropriate contact with students (as of April 3).
—Gregory Beasley, White Academy teacher, three counts of unlawful contact with a minor.
—Jeffrey Schultz, Brown Middle School teacher; three counts of annoyance, molestation of, or indecency toward a minor.
—Willie Bell, substitute teacher, four counts of sex acts with a pupil.
—Randall Minyard, substitute teacher, two counts of lewdness with a child and two counts of sex acts with a pupil.
—Ryan Davis, Legacy High School football coach and substitute teacher; two counts of sexual misconduct between an adult school employee and a pupil, one count of using a minor in the production of pornography, one count of possession of a visual presentation depicting sexual conduct of a child, and one count of child abuse, neglect or endangerment.
—Roger Brown, Arbor View High School athletic director; one count of first-degree kidnapping of a minor, one count of using a minor to produce pornography, three counts of using a minor as the subject of sex portrayal, three counts of sexual misconduct between an adult school employee and a pupil.
—Jordan Turner, Silverado High School volunteer football coach; one count of first-degree kidnapping of a minor, one count of lewdness with a child, one count of sexual misconduct between an adult school employee and a pupil.
— Brian Theophil, Silverado High School volleyball coach, one count of first-degree kidnapping and one count of sex act with a pupil.
— Ati Poni, Del Sol High School campus monitor and coach, four counts of sexual misconduct between an adult school employee with a pupil between 16 to 17, three counts of kidnapping of a minor (first degree), one count of sexual assault.
— Michael Barnson, volunteer wrestling coach at Cimarron-Memorial High School; two counts of kidnapping, two counts of sexual misconduct
Source: Clark County School District Police/Las Vegas Justice Court records
