Parents of children sexually abused by Las Vegas school bus driver sue CCSD | Sex Crimes

The children who were sexually abused by the driver of a Clark County School District special education bus have filed a lawsuit through their parents, claiming that the district knew or should have known of the danger they were exposed to.

The former driver, Michael Banco, was sentenced in 2018 to 35 years to life in prison after prosecutors said he sexually abused “very young” children in the back of his bus. After initially facing 41 charges, Banco pleaded guilty to one count each of sexual abuse of a minor under 16 and lewdness with a child under 14.

The complaint, filed on May 24, was filed on behalf of siblings “RER” and “RJR,” who ride on Banco’s bus line. They are now 13 and 15 years old respectively, but when the abuse began they were only 4 and 5 years old.

The prosecutor in charge of the case, Sam Martinez, called it “by far the most horrific case” he had ever worked on, while District Judge Elissa Cadish called the facts presented in court “unbelievable.”

According to police, a surveillance camera on Banco’s bus showed him harassing and assaulting children in the back of the bus on three different days before taking them home.

Over the course of those days, parents complained to the school and the bus company that their children were coming home late, the complaint states.

“At a minimum, the CCSD should have reviewed the video surveillance recordings to determine the cause of the delays,” the complaint states. “However, this was never done.”

Due to the sexual abuse and the CCSD’s failure to adequately protect its students, plaintiff RER suffered “unreasonable physical injuries as well as emotional and mental anguish” that she “will struggle with for the rest of her life,” the lawsuit states.

RJR’s witnessing of his younger sister’s abuse left him with emotional and psychological torment that will stay with him for the rest of his life, the lawsuit states.

“We understand the gravity of their experiences and are committed to doing everything in our power now to ensure their voices are heard,” said attorney Alanna Bondy of Sgro & Roger, the law firm representing the plaintiffs.

Banco, 64, whose sentence is the maximum he could face, is currently being held at Lovelock Correctional Center and is eligible for parole in 2040, according to Nevada Department of Corrections records.

The documents show that RER and RJR, through their guardians, are seeking damages for suffering and pain and suffering, punitive damages against the defendants, attorneys’ fees and more.

According to the complaint, RER had behavioral issues related to eating, which was included in her individual education plan, which Banco was aware of and used to encourage her, the suit says.

Because RER and her brother both had additional needs at school, the lawsuit argues that CCSD’s budget included funds for an aide to be assigned to the bus, but the district failed to do so, the lawsuit says.

The school district was also informed of other complaints regarding Banco’s treatment of students, particularly those who required additional support at school, which should have served as warning signs, the lawsuit says.

The CCSD’s “indifference” to Banco’s abuse, the lawsuit alleges, constitutes a violation of Title IX. It also alleges a “systematic failure to establish policies and procedures to create and maintain a safe environment for children.”

In addition to the school district, several people who were employed by CCSD at the time are also named as defendants. They include former Superintendent Pat Skorkowsky, former Director of Transportation Compliance and Safety Karen Johnson, former Transportation Operations Manager Christopher Jackson and former Bus Operations Coordinator Nathaniel Whitney.

The Clark County School District declined to comment on pending litigation.

Contact Estelle Atkinson at [email protected].