Crime & Safety
BHS Student, Basketball Player Arrested on Suspicion of Statutory Rape
Police officers took senior James Mitchell into custody at Benicia High School Wednesday.
A second student has been arrested for a suspected felony this week.
James Mitchell, 18, was arrested at the high school on Wednesday at 12:37 p.m. on suspicion of statutory rape according to Lt. Mike Daley. Daley did not release any details about the alleged victim, except that she was a young female under the age of 18.
, 18-year-old Benicia High student Sean Beattie was arrested on suspicion of possessing and intending to sell ecstasy pills to students.
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Mitchell played on the Benicia High basketball team this season but according to Coach Steven Carter, is no longer on the team.
“It was a letdown for us,” Carter said. “I was told that he couldn’t play anymore.”
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None of Mitchell's statistics this season were available on MaxPreps. Last year, he averaged 8.7 points and 5.6 rebounds per game for the Panthers.
Though Carter lost Mitchell, he was given the addition of senior Kenion McClanahan, who returned to the lineup for the first time this season Thursday night and scored 20 points off the bench in Benicia’s
“I got one leader back and I lost another,” Carter said.
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