Crime & Safety
Former Pope Valley Teacher Accused Of Lewd Acts With Multiple Children
The Napa County Sheriff's Office arrested Benjamin Casas, 33, on suspicion of 19 felony counts, including 10 lewd acts on a child under 14.
NAPA COUNTY, CA — A former Pope Valley Elementary School teacher has been arrested on suspicion of 19 felony counts, including 10 counts of lewd acts on a child under the age of 14, the Napa County Sheriff's Office said Monday.
Benjamin Casas-Duran, 33, was arrested Saturday following a lengthy investigation by the Napa County Sheriff's Office Investigations Bureau during which several victims were identified separately with incidents going back over 12 years ago, the sheriff's office said in a news release.
Casas was taken into custody at his Pope Valley residence on a no-bail criminal complaint issued by the Napa County District Attorney's Office which charged him with 10 felony counts of lewd act upon a child under the age of 14; four felony counts of lewd act upon a child aged 14 or 15 with a greater-than-10-year age difference between the victim and the accused; two felony counts of forced oral copulation with a child over the age of 14; and three felony counts of oral copulation with a child under the age of 14 with a greater-than-10-year age difference between the victim and the accused.
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It is alleged that sexual contact with the children took place at different locations in Napa County, but included private areas of the Pope Valley Elementary School campus where Casas was employed, sheriff's officials said.
Since 2014, Casas worked at two or more elementary schools in Pope Valley and St. Helena. He has also instructed children as a piano and dance teacher, according to the sheriff's office.
Find out what's happening in Napa Valleyfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Casas' employment with Pope Valley Union Elementary School District ended in June 2019, the district told Patch in an email.
"PVUESD administration was notified by the Napa County Sheriff's Department of the arrest on Monday, October 3, 2022. PVUESD will be fully cooperating with the Sheriff's investigation," the district said.
Sheriff's officials asked anyone with information pertinent to the investigation to contact Detective Shamus Stafford at 707-253-6031.
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