Las Vegas charter school teacher arrested on child sex crimes

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A teacher for a Las Vegas charter school was arrested on charges related to child sex crimes.

According to online jail records, Marco Penaloza Jr., 30, was booked into the Clark County Detention Center on Wednesday on two counts of use or permit a minor aged 14 or older to be subject of sexual portrayal in a performance.

Penaloza worked at the Young Women’s Leadership Academy of Las Vegas, located in the 3400 block of South Mojave Road. YWLA is a public charter school for girls in grades six through 10.

In a statement to 8 News Now, the school’s principal, Kat Draper, said YWLA was made aware of the police investigation on Wednesday and Penaloza was “immediately removed from their duties and was terminated upon their arrest.”

Draper said the police investigation and arrest does not involve any YWLA students or staff members.

A search of Penaloza’s Nevada teaching license on the state’s education website showed he taught math at Mater Academy East Las Vegas from 2022 to 2025.

Mater Academy, located in the 3900 block of East Bonanza Rd, declined to comment to 8 News Now on Thursday regarding the investigation and Penaloza’s tenure.

Penaloza is scheduled to appear in Las Vegas Justice Court on Tuesday, Sept. 30. He was held at the Clark County Detention Center on a $100,000 bail.

If he makes bail, Penaloza will be ordered to be on high-level electronic monitoring and have no contact with minors.

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