Former Detroit teacher and track coach Nathan Tedford walked out of court with probation instead of a jail sentence on Thursday, after pleading to an aggravated assault charge tied to the sexual assault of an 18-year-old former student. The outcome capped months of hearings that began last summer, when prosecutors first brought misdemeanor criminal sexual conduct charges.
Under a plea agreement, prosecutors dropped two counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct and Tedford pleaded guilty to aggravated assault, which spared him any time behind bars and left him with two years of probation and 20 hours of community service, according to ClickOnDetroit. The Wayne County Prosecutor's Office had originally charged Tedford on June 16, 2025, with two counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct and said the alleged incident happened on May 29 at a Detroit residence, according to a press release from the office. His bond, first set at $30,000, was later increased to $50,000 during early court appearances.
Victim's Testimony And Prosecutors' Description
In court, the teen victim, who has cognitive delays, testified that he kept in touch with Tedford and reached out in late May to get back a necklace and collect a promised Chipotle reward. Instead, he told the court, Tedford drove him to the coach’s home, where the assault occurred, according to prosecutors. They said Tedford falsely claimed to be a chiropractor and used oil during the encounter, and prosecutor Lisa Coyle described the situation as a clear case of a teacher grooming a young man in court, as reported by FOX 2 Detroit. Those allegations were laid out during the preliminary hearing that led a judge to send the case to trial before the plea deal was reached.
Legal Context
Fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct, the charge Tedford initially faced, is a misdemeanor under Michigan law that carries a potential sentence of up to two years in jail or a maximum $500 fine, and victims can also bring civil claims, according to the Michigan courts' benchbook. Despite those possible penalties, the judge accepted a deal that left Tedford with probation rather than jail time, ClickOnDetroit reported.
School Response And What Comes Next
Detroit Public Schools Community District first placed Tedford on paid administrative leave, then shifted him to unpaid leave after criminal charges were filed, the district told local reporters, according to WWJ. Authorities have urged anyone with additional information to contact the Detroit Police Department’s Special Victims Unit at 313-596-1950. Hoodline previously detailed the original June 2025 charges and broader case background in its earlier coverage.
