A former Dayton Elementary School teacher is accused of sexually abusing two former students.
The Lyon County Sheriff's Office arrested 40-year-old Shaun Sanchez following an extensive investigation into the allegations.
Deputies say the investigation began in February 2026 after a former student reported that Sanchez had sexually abused him while he was an elementary school student.
During the course of the investigation, deputies say detectives identified a second former student who independently reported similar acts allegedly committed by Sanchez several years earlier.
Detectives conducted a comprehensive investigation into both reports and identified multiple significant similarities between the independent accounts. Based on the totality of the evidence developed during the investigation, detectives say they established probable cause to seek an arrest warrant.
On August 5, 2026, the Dayton Township Justice Court issued an arrest warrant for Sanchez. He was taken into custody without incident later that evening and booked into the Lyon County Jail on three counts of lewdness with a child under the age of 14. Bail was set at $300,000.
Following Sanchez’s arrest, the Lyon County School District issued a statement addressing the allegations.
“Recent action by law enforcement regarding criminal charges filed against an employee assigned to Dayton Elementary School is being taken very seriously,” the district said. “This egregious behavior is in complete conflict with the manner in which we treat students and the morals, values, and professional conduct standards of the Lyon CSD.”
The district said Sanchez is currently suspended from employment in accordance with personnel procedures and Nevada law. The district added that it will comply with state licensing notification requirements and continues to assist the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office with its investigation.
“Because this is an active law enforcement matter and a confidential personnel issue, further details cannot be released by the district,” the statement said.
The Lyon County School District also said the safety and well-being of students remains its highest priority and noted that all teachers hired by the district are licensed through the Nevada Department of Education after completing required background checks and fingerprinting.
Because this remains an active criminal case, the Lyon County Sheriff's Office will not be releasing additional details regarding the allegations or information that could identify the victims.
Anyone with information related to this investigation, or who believes they may have had inappropriate contact with Shaun Sanchez, is encouraged to contact the Lyon County Sheriff's Office Investigations Division at (775) 463-6600 or by email at detective@lyon-county.org.
(Lyon County Sheriff's Office contributed to this report.)
