Teacher arrested in online sex talk

Jen Lawson

Monday, June 6, 2005 | 11:16 a.m.

A Garside Middle School gym teacher was arrested Friday just moments before he allegedly was scheduled to meet a teenage student for a sexual encounter at a school dance, Metro Police said.

Marc Horton, 27, allegedly had sexually oriented chats over the Internet with the would-be victim, a 14-year-old Garside student, said Metro Police Sgt. Russ Shoemaker of the Las Vegas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

Her mother called police Friday after she found out about the conversations and police arrested Horton hours later.

"We felt that children were in danger," Shoemaker said. "We felt that if he made these arrangements with one child, he could do that with others. We were not going to take that risk."

The meeting was supposed to take place at Garside Middle School, where a dance was scheduled.

Horton has been suspended with pay until the circumstances of his arrest and the charges are investigated, Lina Gutierrez, executive director of licensed personnel for the district, said.

Investigation revealed that Horton had similar contact with other children through the Web site www.myspace.com, where users can post profiles, chat with other members and keep blogs, police said.

On his myspace profile Horton had posted pictures of his dog and fiancee, Shoemaker said. The profile couldn't be found this morning.

Horton was booked into the Clark County Detention Center on seven felonies, including five counts of using technology to lure a child, which is punishable by up to six years in prison on each count; attempted sexual assault, attempted sex with a student and one gross misdemeanor count of open and gross lewdness.

He posted bail Saturday and was released pending a court hearing.

Horton has been employed with the district for two years. Garside is the only school where he has worked, police said.

Investigators have no evidence that school computers were used, but Shoemaker said the investigation is continuing.

"We've only conducted a small percentage of the investigation," he said. "Right now we're asking for the public's assistance."

The investigation has centered on students he met at Garside, "but it may well reach further than that," Shoemaker said.

Investigators are speaking with four children who might have been victims.

Walt Rulffes, deputy superintendent of operations for the district, said full cooperation will be given to the task force.

While he couldn't comment on Horton's arrest, he said the district takes "appropriate action" when these types of arrests occur.

The Clark County School District produced a training video two years ago warning new employees of the serious consequences of sexual misconduct with students, including the loss of their jobs and criminal prosecution.

After three district employees were arrested over the summer for sex-related offenses, Associate Superintendent of Human Resources George Ann Rice ordered that all employees, and not just newcomers, be required to watch the video as part of their annual training.

Anyone with information about the case can call the task force at 229-3421, the FBI at 385-1281 or Crime Stoppers at 385-5555.

Sun reporter Emily Richmond contributed to this story.