Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2019 | 11:29 p.m.
The Clark County School District Board of Trustees will vote Thursday on a $100,000 settlement for one of three lawsuits pertaining to the victims of Maysen Melton, who has been accused of raping at least four classmates at Shadow Ridge High School between 2016 and 2017.
Filed May 31 in Clark County District Court, the lawsuit claims that the district knew about Melton's past instances of alleged sexual misconduct and harassment but allowed him to enroll at Shadow Ridge, where he allegedly victimized other teenage girls. In March 2017, Melton allegedly raped the plaintiff — his classmate — and later threatened to kill her family if she told anyone about the rape, the suit states.
Then-16-year-old Melton was eventually arrested and charged as an adult last January for sexually assaulting at least four underage students.
Prior to his arrest, Melton had a history of sexually assaulting and harassing peers dating back to 2011, when he was suspended for sexual harassment while attending Bracken Elementary School, according to court documents. He was later disciplined for "sexual deviancy" at three separate CCSD middle schools and suspended from Cadwallader Middle School in 2015 for groping a female student.
Given Melton's history of inappropriate behavior in CCSD schools, district officials acted with "complete disregard for the safety of the other students," including the plaintiff, who was not aware of Melton's other victims at the time of the attack, the suit argues.
District staff also failed to protect the plaintiff's identity from other students, causing her further stress, according to the suit. Staff allegedly humiliated the victim by "asking if she had also been victimized by Defendant" while other students were present.
The actions of Melton and the school district caused the victim to struggle in school, to the point where she was almost unable to graduate, the suit states.
Representing the plaintiff in the lawsuit, attorney Gabe Martinez declined to comment on the settlement given that the litigation is still pending. District officials also declined to comment due to ongoing litigation.
Two additional lawsuits, filed in district court on behalf of other alleged victims of Melton on July 31 and Oct. 1, each seek over $30,000 in damages from the district. All three suits name Melton and his parents, Justin and Stephanie Melton, as defendants as well.
Defense attorney Christopher Keller, representing Melton in the first lawsuit, said he had no information on the settlement and therefore could offer no comment. Another attorney previously representing Melton, Dustin Marcello, described his client during court proceedings last January as an immature victim in encounters with older girls.
