ST. GEORGE — A teen has been arrested and charged with multiple felony offenses after a school resource officer in Mesquite received a tip that a student was allegedly kidnapped and assaulted with a deadly weapon.
On March 8, a school resource officer in Mesquite obtained information regarding a possible crime committed against a student, which led to further investigation, according to a statement released by the Mesquite Police Department on Monday.
Police say through the course of the investigation, the suspect was identified as a Mesquite man, 19-year-old Hiram Gavin Rivera. Armed with a search warrant of the suspect’s residence, detectives recovered a handgun, 18 grams of cocaine, drug paraphernalia and cash.
Rivera was later arrested and charged with first-degree felony kidnapping of a minor with a deadly weapon, as well as multiple felony charges that include assault with a deadly weapon, child abuse with a deadly weapon, possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell, possession of a controlled substance and one misdemeanor count of coercion.
Mesquite Police Sgt. Wyatt Oliver told St. George News the investigation into the incident is ongoing. Since the case involves a minor, he said, the department is unable to release any further information at this time, other than the incident did not involve the school.
He did say that charges have been filed, and as the case moves through the court system, additional details can be released.
Mesquite Police Chief MaQuade Chesley said in the statement that no resource was spared during the investigation, adding that crimes committed against children are particularly serious. As such, it is the department’s protocol to dedicate as many resources as possible to hold offenders accountable.
Chesley also commended the efforts of the officers and detectives involved for taking “such swift and decisive action in this incident.”
The arrest also serves as a testament to the relationship between the local schools and the police department, which has allowed both to work closely together with the utmost care and sensitivity when investigating these types of incidents, Chesley added.
The department also stated that if any student feels victimized, he or she should reach out to school administrators or to the Mesquite Police Department for help.
Following the arrest, Rivera was transported and booked into the Clark County Detention Center in Las Vegas.
This report is based on statements from court records, police or other responders and may not contain the full scope of findings. Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.
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