Jerome Younger, the 54-year-old assistant principal at the Edward "Duke" Ellington Conservatory of Music and Art at Beckham Academy in Detroit, is charged with sexual assault of a minor, as announced by the Macomb County Prosecutor's Office. WWJ Newsradio reports that Younger is facing a possible life sentence for first-degree criminal sexual conduct and an additional 15 years for second-degree. The alleged incident took place on October 8th in Macomb County, where Younger resides.
While the identity of the victim has not been disclosed, it is confirmed that they are a student within the Detroit Public Schools Community District. Younger was arraigned yesterday and is currently held on a $250,000 bond, with the provision to quickly be able to post a 10% cash surety. In the event of his release, he is ordered to wear a steel-cuff tether and is prohibited from contacting the alleged victim, according to ClickOnDetroit.
Following the arrest, Detroit Public Schools Community District has placed Younger on leave from his duties and banned him from school properties during the ongoing internal investigation and criminal proceedings. The district has stated they are unaware of any other alleged misconduct at this time. Younger's extensive career in education and leadership in youth mentorship programs, along with his involvement in the Detroit Police Department’s Junior Police Cadet program, now stand in stark contrast to the allegations against him.
