HENDERSON (KTNV) — A local charter school teacher was fired after his arrest on child pornography-related charges, the school's director tells KTNV.
Alexander Scott Derringer's employment at Coral Academy of Science Las Vegas lasted approximately eight days, according to an email from the school's director. He was hired on Nov. 1 and had his contract terminated Nov. 9, the day he was arrested by Henderson Police.
Two tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children prompted police to begin an investigation, according to a declaration of arrest. The center informed police a user on the messaging platform Kik uploaded approximately 74 files of child sexual abuse material. Another tip advised police the same Kik user had uploaded or shared approximately 62 files of child sexual abuse material.
Detectives reviewed the material and confirmed it contained depictions of child sexual abuse, then requested search warrants that would help identify the user associated with the Kik account that shared the files.
Through information gathered from the warrants, detectives identified Derringer, 36, as the user associated with the Kik account.
On Oct. 14, 2021, detectives served a search warrant at Derringer's Henderson home. They seized six cell phones and an iPad, including a phone taken from Derringer's person when detectives contacted him at work.
At the time, Derringer was employed as a teacher with the Clark County School District, a CCSD public information officer confirmed in an email to KTNV. He was hired in November of 2015 and was "assigned to home" in October 2021. He resigned in December of 2021, the spokesperson said.
Additional information included in the arrest report indicates Derringer taught second grade at Ferron Elementary School prior to his resignation.
In an interview with police, Derringer denied having or looking at child pornography, telling detectives it was "not in his character," according to the arrest report.
"During my conversation with Derringer, based on the totality of the information that has been discovered in this case, it does not appear that Derringer was being honest during our conversation," a detective wrote, "or that Derringer was remorseful for the actions that appeared to have been taken by him in viewing child pornography, however; did apologize during the conversation, and at one point during the conversation appeared to be in the initial stages of crying..."
In a search of Derringer's phone, investigators found "Autofill values consistent with the use of the device in furtherance of locating, possessing, and/or viewing child sexual abuse material..." Files matching those initially shared with police by Kik were located on the phone, according to detectives, including files "which depict infant &/or toddler child sexual abuse material."
On Nov. 9, detectives went to the Coral Academy campus in Henderson after learning Derringer was hired as a charter school teacher there, the report states. He was arrested on child pornography-related charges, including possession of visual presentation depicting sexual conduct of a person under 16 years of age, and preparing, advertising or distributing materials depicting pornography involving a minor.
Coral Academy's executive director and CEO, John E. Aydogdu, said Derringer's contract with the charter school was "terminated the same day" of his arrest:
“Alexander Derringer’s contract with Coral Academy of Science Las Vegas ("CASLV") started on November 1, 2022. On November 9th, 2022, Detectives from the Henderson Police Department detained Mr. Derringer, and his contract was terminated on the same day. When CASLV hired him, he held a valid teaching license in the State of Nevada, meaning he passed a state and federal criminal and civil background search. As an additional precaution, CASLV also conducted a background and reference check of our own. Due to this being an open criminal investigation, we have no further information.”
