Former Napa County school worker accused of child sex abuse doubles down on denial

A former school employee on trial Wednesday in Napa County Superior Court on charges of child sex abuse called one of his five accusers “crazy” and said he had no idea why the four others have accused him of wrongdoing.

Benjamin Casas, 34, who began testifying in his own defense on Tuesday, concluded his testimony after being pressed by Napa County Deputy District Attorney Kecia Lind.

She offered Casas one last chance to own up to the abuse. He, instead, stressed that he did nothing wrong, but accepts there’s “no freedom for me.”

“My reputation is gone — my whole life is gone,” Casas said before a jury of seven men and five women.

Jurors received the case Wednesday afternoon after Lind and Casas’ defense attorney, Andy Rubinger, delivered their closing arguments.

Lind called Casas “a predator” who was meticulous and targeted children from bad homes and with no friends. She contended that he bonded with them and built trust before engaging in deviant behavior they were too fearful to report.

His victims, Lind said, included a 9-year-old girl he tickled before reaching under her underwear and a boy who was 11 or 12 when he took guitar lessons from Casas before being sexually molested by him, Lind added.

“He was someone everybody thought it was OK to leave their kid with,” Lind told the jury.

Casas was arrested Oct. 1, 2022, in Pope Valley and the Napa County District Attorney’s Office charged him with 23 counts of sexually abusing two boys and three girls. One count was dismissed mid-trial.

He has pleaded not guilty to the charges and remains jailed without bail. He could be sentenced to life in prison if convicted as charged.

Investigators said the abuse occurred over 10 years while Casas worked in various capacities for Pope Valley Elementary School.

In his closing arguments, Rubinger described Pope Valley as a small community where everyone knows everyone. He reminded jurors of Casas’ character witness, Susan Eakle, who testified Tuesday that she taught at the school for 42 years and never saw Casas do anything wrong.

“Charges are inconsistent with what she’s seen and what she observed,” Rubinger said.

On Wednesday, Casas, who has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, again rejected the allegations. He theorized that they may be the result of revenge for minor infractions. This included, he said, ending music lessons with one student and not reciprocating the romantic feelings for another.

He was more harsh toward one student, identified in court only as Isaac, who testified Casas hugged him without permission in fall 2015 and rubbed his legs because he thought they were smooth.

“That kid was crazy,” Casas testified as courtroom attendees reacted to his statement with sighs and gasps.

He also denied dating and having sex on campus, including in a restroom and custodian closet, between August 2014 and August 2017, with a student identified only as Gamine.

Casas testified the fifth grader had a crush on him and he explained they could date in the future so she wouldn’t be upset over his rejection.

Lind presented a handwritten note Casas gave Gamine and in which he calls her “gorgeous” and “hot stuff” before ending with “Your future boyfriend Justin XOXO.”

Casas testified “Justin” was his Facebook pseudonym years ago and it was an inside joke between him and friends, including Gamine.

Lind also showed text messages between Casas and Gamine from as recently as June 2022. They alluded to a relationship and frequently referenced someone named Justin in a way that made it seem as if Casas was speaking in the third person.

Casas countered “Justin” by that point referred to anyone Gamine liked and the text conversation was about his roommate’s cousin.

Lind asked for the cousin’s name and Casas said he didn’t remember.

The prosecutor argued that Casas has only admitted to behavior that was proved in court or would not lead to criminal charges.

Rubinger countered that no doctors testified against Casas and there was no DNA or physical evidence, like bloody clothing, that would prove he had sex with Gamine.

"No one actually saw Ben doing anything,“ Rubinger said.

Lind balked at his argument. She pointed to testimony from clinical psychologist Dr. Blake Carmichael from UC Davis’ Children’s Hospital, who testified Monday that children rarely reveal abuse right away.

Lind also talked about testimony from Eakle, the former teacher, and said it did not prove Casas hadn’t committed any crime. She emphasized that nine people testified who all said they witnessed or experienced suspicious behavior by Casas.

“Just because Miss Eakle didn’t see it doesn’t mean other people didn’t see it,” Lind said.

You can reach Staff Writer Colin Atagi at colin.atagi@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @colin_atagi