Former America’s Got Talent Contestant Arrested on Portland Sex Abuse Charges

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Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Colin Miner, GoLocalPDX Contributor

A circus performer who travels the country and made it to the Vegas round of America’s Got Talent two years ago is under arrest, charged with sex abuse of a minor.

Portland police, working with detectives from the New York Police Department’s Special Victim’s Squad, arrested Benn Mendoza, 34, in Brooklyn NY Tuesday morning.

He had been indicted on August 20th by a grand jury in Multnomah County, according to officers.

Mendoza had been in Portland for two weeks in mid-July teaching classes at an aerial school.

During that time, he allegedly abused a minor. The minor, identified as a 17-year-old male, reported that Mendoza did not use a weapon or threaten harm, police said.

In addition to sex abuse, Mendoza is charged with luring a minor, contributing to the delinquency of a minor and possession of materials depicting sexually explicit conduct of a child. He will be booked in Brooklyn and held while Portland Police arrange for his extradition back to Oregon, according to police.

Mendoza's website describes him as an aerialist with years of experience, having performed around the world including Montreal, San Francisco, Osaka, Las Vegas and Los Angeles.

Mendoza is currently listed as an instructor at The Brooklyn Zoo, a circus training facility that caters to both amateurs and professionals.

During their investigation, Portland Police determined that Mendoza has taught around the United States and are concerned there may be more victims out there.

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