Teacher's aide accused of having sex with student

A warrant was issued Wednesday for a Fernley teacher's aide accused of having sex with a former student in front of other juveniles and providing the boys with alcohol.

Lyon County Sheriff's Lt. Rob Hall said the criminal complaint filed in Canal Township Justice Court charges Tracie Nelson, 37, with felony statutory sexual seduction for the alleged sex act, open and gross lewdness for allegedly engaging in the act in front of the other juveniles and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Nelson is currently in the hospital recovering from an alleged suicide attempt, Hall said.

On Monday, "concerned parents" called the sheriff's office to report Nelson was allegedly getting too close to a group of juvenile boys.

"It was reported that Tracie Nelson was spending a lot of time with 14- and 15-year-old males, driving them around town, buying them gifts, and showing up for their activities," Hall said.

Juveniles questioned by investigators allegedly reported that on Friday Nelson picked them up from a birthday party, purchased alcohol and drove to a secluded location in Fernley. At some point, she allegedly got into the back seat with one of the male juveniles and engaged in sexual intercourse with him in plain view while two other juveniles waited outside the vehicle.

Hall said the minors all stated they'd met Nelson the previous school year while she was a teacher's aide at Fernley Intermediate School where they were students.

He said that before Nelson could be interviewed, she was rushed to the hospital Tuesday, the victim of an apparently intentional drug overdose. Nelson is expected to be arrested upon her release from the hospital. Hall said she was suspended with pay from the school district last week.

• Contact reporter F.T. Norton at fnorton@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1213.