DETROIT – Macomb County Prosecutor Peter Lucido shared new details in the criminal sexual conduct allegations against an assistant principal with the Detroit Public Schools Community District.
54-year-old Jerome Younger, an assistant principal at Edward “Duke” Ellington Conservatory of Music and Art at Beckham Academy, was arrested this week after being accused of sexually assaulting a student at his home on Wednesday.
Lucido shared that the student was just 14 years old. He said the teen reported the assault to police immediately, which led to Younger’s arrest.
“A lot of people may not have the emotional strength to do what this young individual did,” Lucido said.
Younger’s biography on the school’s website claims he has worked in education for 28 years and mentored teens through the Detroit Police Department’s Junior Police Cadet program for 38 years.
The Detroit Police Department provided the following statement to Local 4:
“The Department can confirm that Mr. Younger served as a counselor within the Junior Police Cadet program by way of the Detroit Employment Solutions Corporation. Mr. Younger’s alleged involvement in these heinous crimes stands contrary to every value of this Department and the very mission of the junior police cadet program, which is to promote and educate our youth so that they may serve as the leaders for tomorrow.
The Department has extinguished all connections with Mr. Younger, and he will have no further involvement in any of the Department’s programs.”
Lucido said the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office believes with Younger’s lengthy experience working with children, it’s possible that more victims could come forward.
“I don’t want to sit idle on these types of cases,” Lucido said. “Individuals that take advantage of a situation and the situation is juveniles, youths. We have to be their champions, their guiding lights.”
Younger was arraigned Thursday on the following charges:
- First-degree criminal sexual conduct (Relationship), a life felony
- Second-degree criminal sexual conduct (Relationship), a 15-year felony
In a statement, the Detroit Public Schools Community District said Younger has been placed on leave pending the outcome of an internal investigation and any criminal proceedings and is not permitted to be on DPSCD property.
Younger will appear in court for a probable cause conference on Oct. 22nd and a preliminary exam on Oct. 29th, both hearings at 8:30 a.m.