Oakland Co. judge to sentence ex-teacher in May for 2010 sex assault of student

A former Northville Public Schools teacher convicted of criminal sexual conduct for having sex with a 14-year-old student in 2010 is scheduled to be sentenced May 20, officials said.

Jason William Dean, 37, of Livonia pleaded no contest Thursday to five counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct in Oakland County Circuit Court. No contest pleas are not admissions of guilt, but courts treat them as such during sentencing. The crime carries a penalty of up to life in prison.

However, in exchange for pleading guilty, Dean is expected to be sentenced to a minimum of nine years in prison, the Oakland County Sheriff's Office said Monday.

If a judge imposes a harsher sentence, Dean can withdraw his plea and go to trial, authorities said. 

In the meantime, Dean is being held the Oakland County Jail.

At the time of sexual assault, Dean was a teacher and soccer and basketball coach at Cedar Crest Academy in Springfield Township. The victim was 14 and attended eighth-grade classes at the school.

Investigators allege Dean groomed the girl before the assaults began. The assaults happened in a classroom, a car, at a hotel, on an airplane during a class trip, at her home and in an apartment he rented solely for sex with the student, they said.

Police arrested Dean in January 2020 after the victim reported she had a sexual relationship with him. At the time of his arrest, Dean was teaching math at Northville High School and coached youth soccer in the region.

cramirez@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @CharlesERamirez