Detroit teacher, coach faces sexual conduct charges for allegedly massaging student

DPSCD coach charged with sexual assault

Nathan Tedford, a 54-year-old teacher and track coach at Detroit’s East English Village Preparatory Academy, is accused of offering to take one of his 18-year-old male students to Chipotle. Instead, he took the teen to his Detroit home with the intent of giving a massage.

DETROIT (FOX 2) - A teacher and coach posed as a chiropractor to get his hands on a student, according to officials on Tuesday.

The teacher claimed it was just a massage, but investigators say the 54-year-old used baby oil on the teen’s back and then told the student it was time for the front. 

As a result, the teacher has been put on unpaid leave from Detroit Public Schools.

What they're saying:

Nathan Tedford, a 54-year-old teacher and track coach at Detroit’s East English Village Preparatory Academy, is accused of offering to take one of his 18-year-old male students to Chipotle, but instead, took the teen to his Detroit home with the intent of giving him a massage.

Lisa Coyle from the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office pointed out in court that the student is a vulnerable young man with cognitive learning disabilities.

"This is a clear case of a teacher grooming a young man," Coyle said in court. "The complainant in this matter has a cognitive learning disability. He was 18 years old at the time."

Once the teen was at Tedford’s house, the teacher and track coach allegedly used baby oil on the teen’s lower back and told him it was time to massage the front.

"He falsely presented himself as a chiropractor, that he had the ability to massage the areas of soreness because to injury," Coyle said.

Dig deeper:

‘Chiropractor’ is not listed anywhere on his LinkedIn profile. Now, he’s facing two criminal sexual conduct charges in the fourth degree. Tedford claims it was a massage for an injury.

"Mr. Tedford did admit to the police that he was touching his, I believe his thigh, or massaging it for injury," Coyle said.

The Detroit Police Special Victim’s Unit is handling the case and is concerned about the potential for more victims. Tedford has worked in Detroit and other metro schools, even in Flint Public Schools.

They encourage other potential victims to come forward.

What's next:

Tedford is on unpaid leave and was given a $30,000 cash bond. He has no criminal history.