Judge delays trial in sexual assault case to August

A jury trial for a Topaz Ranch Estates man accused of sexually assaulting children has been delayed until Aug. 26, a judge ruled Monday.

Ryan Todd Nelson, 39, faces up to four life sentences if he’s convicted of the charges.

He appeared at a special hearing with attorney Martin Hart, who said a witness wouldn’t be available for the trial that was originally scheduled to start July 8 due to a medical procedure.

“I don’t want to have to try this case twice,” District Judge Tod Young said.

Nelson has been in custody since July 12, 2023.

A Reno man faces up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine after he admitted to one count of using a computer to lure a child for the purposes of sex.

Matthew Ryan Hall, 26, appeared in Douglas County District Court on June 18 with attorney Martin Hart where he entered a plea of guilty to the felony.

Hall has been in custody since March 29 after he contacted someone he thought was a 13-year-old girl online.

To be eligible for probation, a doctor must determine he does not pose a high risk to reoffend.

He will have to register as a sex offender.

He is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 13.

• A Feb. 19-25, 2025, trial has been set in the case of a man accused of groping a young actor at a haunted house.

Jason Michael Breidenbach, 46, denied charges of lewdness with a child and child abuse by sexual assault.

Breidenbach was reportedly under the influence when he allegedly touched a 13-year-old girl and tried to take off her mask.

• A review hearing is set for July 3 in the case of a China Spring Youth Camp counselor accused of molesting two 17-year-old residents.

Daryan Banka, 25, is scheduled to participate in a July 18 preliminary hearing that could last the entire day in East Fork Justice Court.

• A former volleyball coach convicted by a jury in 2021 of four counts of lewdness with a minor was in Douglas County District Court on June 11 claiming issues with his attorney led to his conviction.

Richard Alexander Jenkins, 52, is serving a 16-40-year sentence and has already lost one appeal of his conviction in Nevada Supreme Court.

He is claiming his trial attorney failed to convey to him the maximum sentence he could face if convicted, among other things.

Jenkins is being held at the Northern Nevada Correction Center.