CCSD bus driver charged with sex crimes against children; Metro seeks others involved

The arrest of a veteran Clark County School District special education bus driver on allegations of sex crimes against “very small children” prompted Las Vegas police on Friday to establish two phone lines to take calls from others who may be victims and their parents.

“One of the main reasons we’re here is not to publicize this crime,” Metro Lt. Dan McGrath said at a Friday afternoon news conference. “But we’re always concerned and looking at the potential of more victims.”

Michael Banco, 55, was arrested at his home Thursday and booked into the Clark County Detention Center without bail on 19 felony counts: three counts of sexual assault against a child under the age of 14; eight counts of lewdness with a child under the age of 14; four counts of first-degree kidnapping and four counts of first-degree child abuse or neglect.

Two victims are known to police, and a potential third victim is being interviewed by officers.

“Please call us. Do not try to interview, interrogate your child,” McGrath said.

The phone lines, 702-828-3307 and 702-828-3358, allow the community to speak directly to detectives who will set up interviews with anyone concerned about their contact with Banco.

The lines are open Friday from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Neither police nor district officials would specify the ages of the children, but they were described as “very small,” roughly preschool- and elementary school-aged.

A parent of a student on Banco’s route called police Thursday to report “inappropriate conduct by a bus driver,” McGrath said.

After contacting the school district, Metro established that a crime on the bus occurred. Police would not confirm if the incident was recorded, but did say that most CCSD buses are equipped with surveillance cameras.

Banco’s arrest is the latest in a string of CCSD employee sex abuse arrests.

Jeremiah Mazo, a 54-year-old former music teacher at Hayden Elementary School in North Las Vegas was arrested in April on multiple counts of child molestation. He faced similar charges in 2008.

Only four months before, former Givens Elementary School janitor Gary Higbee was arrested in December for recording images of female teachers in a staff-only bathroom on a hidden camera.

“This is in no way indicative of the thousands of employees who go to work every day to protect and educate our children,” CCSD Superintendent Pat Skorkowsky said at Friday’s news conference.

According to the website Transparent Nevada, Banco is a bus driver for special education students. He has been with the district since 1995.

Banco’s status in the district as of Friday was on leave without pay.

The district confirmed during the conference that Banco was responsible for driving about 20 students on a route that took him all over the valley.

The last background check conducted on him was at his time of his hire about 20 years ago.

McGrath emphasized that police want to talk to anyone with concerns about their interactions with Banco, including those from 1995 or earlier, insisting the statute of limitations does not apply.

Contact Kimberly De La Cruz at kdelacruz@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0381. Find her on Twitter: @KimberlyinLV.