Escalante Middle School music teacher charged with multiple counts of sexual exploitation of a child – The Durango Herald

Durango teacher suspected of luring minors with Snapchat

An Escalante Middle School music teacher was formally charged Thursday with four counts of sexual exploitation of a child and one count of attempted sexual assault of a minor in 6th Judicial District Court.

Benjamin Smith, 28, was arrested July 25 for allegedly soliciting a 16-year-old child online and offering to perform sexual acts. He has since been placed on administrative leave by Durango School District 9-R. He did not enter a plea during Thursday’s hearing.

Smith appeared via Webex. He is staying with family on the Front Range after being arrested and released on $5,000 bail.

Under the terms of his release, he is not allowed to have any contact with the alleged victims, is not allowed to have any contact with minors, is not allowed to be in places where minors may gather, and is not allowed to possess alcohol or other substances during the period of pre-trial detention.

According to the prosecutor’s charges, Smith attempted to perform sexual acts on two minors between July 10 and July 24.

The Public Prosecution Service has also filed a charge of attempted sexual abuse of a minor.

The formal charges alleged that on July 23 or 24, Smith attempted to sexually intimidate or penetrate a minor, warranting a charge of attempted sexual abuse.

According to the arrest affidavit, at least one of the minors went to a parking lot on July 23 expecting to meet someone they had first met on Snapchat, under the username MTNCHICK69. That person claimed to be 16 years old and offered to perform sexual acts.

The affidavit stated that the 16-year-old minor went to the parking lot of Chapman Hill at 500 Florida Road and stated that she saw a person covered in blankets in a vehicle matching the description of MTNCHICK69. Although the person’s face was covered, the 16-year-old minor stated that the silhouette under the blanket appeared to be male.

The minor alerted police and said they believed MTNCHICK69 was an adult posing as a minor.

Police obtained a search warrant for Smith’s home, which was executed on July 25. Police seized electronic devices, including any technology that could communicate via social media.

Police then contacted Smith, who was attending a music camp at The River Church, 860 Plymouth Drive in Durango, the affidavit said.

When asked if he knew why his electronic devices were seized and searched, Smith replied, “Probably,” the arrest affidavit states. When police asked Smith to explain what happened the night of July 23, Smith replied, “Do I have to?”

Smith is due back in court on October 3.

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