A 15-year-old Las Vegas student is facing an adult criminal case after prosecutors say he recorded the sexual assault of a classmate during a weeklong school trip to Costa Rica. Court records identify the defendant as Vaughn Griffith and say the clip was stored on his Snapchat account. Authorities report the victim was 14 at the time of the April 2025 incident, and filings show Griffith posted $20,000 bail.
Prosecutors' account and indictment
According to testimony presented to a Clark County grand jury, a group of students, including Griffith, allegedly assaulted an eighth-grade classmate during the Dawson Middle School trip. Prosecutors say Griffith used his phone to film the encounter, initially capturing his own face with the front-facing camera, then switching to the rear camera that recorded the sexual conduct. Jurors were told the video lasted two minutes and 16 seconds.
The grand jury returned an indictment on January 15 charging Griffith with one felony count of possessing a visual presentation that depicts the sexual conduct of a child. The recording was allegedly stored on his Snapchat account, as reported by the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Nevada law and penalties
Under Nevada law, possessing a visual presentation that shows sexual conduct by someone under 16 is a felony. A first offense is classified as a category B felony, which carries a potential sentence of one to six years in prison and a possible fine of up to $5,000. The statute is set out in NRS 200.730, available via Justia. Subsequent violations can bring harsher penalties.
Nevada's juvenile certification rules allow prosecutors to move a case into adult criminal court when the accused is at least 14 and the alleged conduct would be a felony if committed by an adult. Those provisions appear in NRS 62B.390, which can be found through Justia.
Timeline and next steps
The indictment was handed up on January 15, 2026, and court records show Griffith posted a $20,000 bond to secure his release while the case moves forward in criminal court. Prosecutors and court filings indicate the alleged assault occurred during the April 2025 Dawson Middle School trip to Costa Rica, and the Las Vegas Review-Journal has reported on the grand jury testimony and the resulting indictment.
The case is still developing, and it is expected to proceed through the usual series of court hearings, motions from both sides, and future scheduling as prosecutors and defense counsel prepare for the next phase.
