Boulder City resident Peter Bennett remained in jail Wednesday on charges in what police believe to be a lewdness case that goes beyond the two victims who have already come forward.
Bennett, 67, appeared in front of Searchlight Township Justice of the Peace Richard Hill by video Tuesday and is being held at the Clark County Detention Center on $72,000 cash bail or $720,000 secured bond stemming from six lewdness charges filed last week. He is scheduled to appear in Boulder City Justice Court at 1 p.m. Tuesday for felony arraignment.
Bennett was arrested Aug. 30 and charged with six felony counts of open and gross lewdness as a result of a warrant issued by the Justice Court. A second series of felony charges for attempted kidnapping, attempted sexual assault and four counts of open and gross lewdness were filed Aug. 30.
The first set of charges involve a 15-year-old female, according to court papers filed in Justice Court.
The second set of charges happened at the corrals at the Boulder City Horseman’s Association, 1 Corral Road, according to Boulder City Police Detective Tiffany Driscoll, the lead investigator on the case. Bennett leases a lot at the corrals, according to Scott Donnelly, president of the Horseman’s Association.
Donnelly said some people at the corrals are shocked, but the association is cooperating with the police with “anything they need from us.”
There are bylaws in place to evict someone “should a member not be in good standing,” but Donnelly added that he doesn’t believe that has ever been done before.
“I guess everybody’s waiting to see where the dust settles,” Donnelly said. “We’re waiting to see the outcome of the trial before we take action.”
Bennett is not an association board member, or a member of the roping, rodeo or jumping clubs, according to Donnelly.
Although Bennett is facing two sets of charges, Driscoll said police believe there may be more victims, and she hopes they will come forward. Driscoll said that the facts of the case lead police to believe there may be more victims, but she declined to discuss specifics.
“If you’re a parent and your child has been with Mr. Bennett, alone with Mr. Bennett or worked with Mr. Bennett, we would really appreciate it if you came forward,” Driscoll said.
Driscoll said the children might be more willing to open up to an investigator or another adult than their own parents if something has happened.
“I’ve interviewed a lot of children and a lot of children tell me things that their parents don’t know,” she said. “They don’t feel as threatened or worried about the ramifications of telling me.”
The investigation is ongoing and the police urge anyone with information to contact Driscoll at 293-9297 or tdriscoll@bcnv.org, or the Boulder City Police at 293-9224.
Contact editor Arnold M. Knightly at aknightly@bouldercityreview.com or 702-586-9523. Follow paper on Twitter: @BCReview. Contact reporter Jack Johnson at jjohnson@bouldercityreview or 702-586-9401.
