A teacher from New Jersey has been taken into custody following accusations of sexually assaulting a 9-year-old student inside a school classroom, officials revealed on Thursday.
The Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office announced in a press release that 32-year-old Paul Yang, who resides in Leonia, faces charges of sexual assault and second-degree child endangerment.
According to the school’s website, Yang serves as a fourth-grade teacher at Public School No. 25 in Paterson. While district officials have not confirmed if he has been placed on administrative leave, Yang made his initial court appearance on Thursday.
The case came to light on October 22, when the young victim informed the authorities about the alleged incident, the prosecutor’s office reported. An investigation revealed that Yang committed the assault earlier that day within his classroom.
Details surrounding the case remain limited. If convicted of both allegations, Yang could face up to 20 years behind bars.
This incident is part of a troubling pattern, as recent months have seen multiple New Jersey educators accused of similar offenses. In a separate case from September, 53-year-old William Arnold, a teacher at Pequannock High School, faced comparable charges in Morris County following abuse allegations.
In October, a former teacher in Bridgeton was convicted of sexually assaulting two boys when they were younger than 13 in 2004 and 2005. Isaias Garza, now 57, is scheduled to be sentenced in January. He faces up to 20 years behind bars.
