Prosecutors say a 2-minute recording captured the attack; judge called the conduct “heinous” and “outrageous.”
LAS VEGAS — A 15-year-old former class president from a Summerlin private school has been charged as an adult after authorities said he recorded the sexual assault of a 14-year-old classmate during an April 2025 school trip to Costa Rica. The teen, identified in court records as Vaughn Griffith, faces one felony count of possessing a visual presentation depicting the sexual conduct of a child.
The case has moved quickly since a January indictment and has drawn attention because of what prosecutors say the video shows: the filmer’s face and the attack that follows. Investigators allege the recording, saved in the phone’s Snapchat “Memories,” is central evidence tying the teen to the incident. Attorneys representing the victim praised police and prosecutors. The defense has criticized what it calls unequal treatment compared with other students seen in the footage. Whether additional youths will face charges remains unresolved.
According to court documents and police accounts, the incident occurred while eighth graders from The Alexander Dawson School were on a trip abroad last spring. Investigators say Griffith recorded a two-minute, sixteen-second clip that begins on the front-facing camera, briefly showing his face, then switches to the rear camera as several boys restrain the victim. A Clark County judge later cited those details when certifying the case to adult court, writing that some offenses are so serious they warrant transfer. The teen was first taken into custody in late July and later released on $20,000 bail after posting bond. In a statement, lawyers for the boy who was assaulted said they are confident the court process will deliver justice.
Additional records describe a series of humiliations against the 14-year-old, including the use of objects and substances as the group taunted him. At one point, the victim can be heard telling the boys to stop, according to the documents. The video allegedly ends with one student stating, “It’s clearly sexual,” and another answering, “assault.” Prosecutors say the clip was recovered from the phone after the group returned to Nevada, which is why the possession charge is being pursued in Clark County. It is unknown whether other students who appear in the recording will face criminal counts linked to the assault in Costa Rica. School leaders notified police after learning of the allegations, and at least two students are no longer enrolled in the district.
Context from the case file shows the boys had first downplayed their behavior to school staff as “horseplay,” according to an arrest report. Later interviews with the victim and parents provided more detail and led to a broader inquiry. The school is a private campus in Summerlin serving kindergarten through eighth grade. A judge reviewing the evidence described the acts as “heinous” and “outrageous,” noting that a short stay in juvenile detention would not be appropriate. The teen, a junior golf standout and student leader at the time, had been publicly recognized by a local youth golf group eight days before his July arrest, according to records referenced in court filings.
Procedurally, the case now sits in adult criminal court after the Jan. 15 indictment. Prosecutors have brought a single count connected to the recording found in Nevada, while acknowledging that conduct during the April 2025 trip occurred outside their jurisdiction. Future filings could clarify whether cooperation with authorities in Costa Rica will be needed. A next court date was not immediately listed in publicly available records. The defense has signaled plans to contest the state’s characterization of the teen’s actions and the decision to charge him as an adult.
Outside the courthouse, reaction has focused on the video’s role. “We appreciate the work that has been done by law enforcement,” said attorneys David Chesnoff, Richard Schonfeld and J. Randall Jones, who represent the victim’s family. Defense attorney Joshua Judd has said his client is being treated differently from “other, similarly situated individuals.” Parents at the school, speaking generally, described a community shaken by the allegations and waiting for courts to determine responsibility. The district and police agencies contacted about the case have either declined comment or said they could not discuss a pending investigation.
As of Tuesday, the single felony count in Clark County remains in place, the teen is free on bond, and questions about potential charges for other students are unanswered. The court is expected to set additional hearings in the coming weeks.
Author note: Last updated February 3, 2026.