New Jersey Teacher Charged with Sexual Assault of 9-Year-Old Pupil.

New Jersey authorities have detained an elementary school teacher for allegedly sexually assaulting a young pupil. The charges claim the crime took place inside his classroom while another student was present.Paul Yang, 32, a resident of Leonia, was taken into custody on Wednesday, December 3. This arrest followed an investigation conducted by the Special Victims Unit of the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office.According to a press release from Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes, detectives were first alerted to a potential child assault in Paterson on October 22.Informants claimed that a 9-year-old female student at Paterson Public School No. 25 disclosed details of an abusive incident that occurred during school hours within a classroom setting.The investigation led to Yang being charged with single counts of sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child.If convicted, Yang faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, Valdes stated in a press release regarding the arrest.As of Monday, Yang's current custodial status remained uncertain, although prosecutors sought pretrial detention during his initial court hearing on Thursday, December 4.It is also unknown whether a judge approved this request. Jail records reviewed by Us Weekly do not list Yang among their detainees.Yang had taught fourth grade in the Paterson School District since 2021. His employment was terminated on the day of his arrest.The Bergen Record reports that another child was present in the classroom during the alleged sexual assault; however, this child was shielded by "test blinders" installed by Yang.Citing court records, The Bergen Record reported Yang instructed the other student to complete their test at the front of the room. He then led the 9-year-old girl to the back, where he stated he kept "a treasure box containing two lollipops, a lemon and a grape, which he called Korean candy."Gymnastics Coach Apprehended on Child Pornography Charges, Allegations of Sexual Abuse RaisedCourt documents claim Yang took a piece of silk from his pocket and used it to blindfold the girl. He then supposedly asked her to guess the lollipop flavor. However, the blindfold shifted, allowing the girl to look underneath, where she allegedly witnessed the teacher pull down his pants and rub the grape lollipop against his genitals, based on reports from The Bergen Record.According to an arrest affidavit cited by the Record, he presented the lollipop to the child, but she declined to take it. Charging documents state the student "attempted to maintain composure but felt nervous." Yang then purportedly excused both students from the classroom.The charges indicate that another instructor informed investigators that one of the children was "inconsolable" upon returning to their regular class.Us Weekly could not confirm whether Yang has obtained legal representation.Attempts to contact phone numbers associated with Yang were unsuccessful due to disconnection or being inaccurate.The Paterson Board of Education did not respond to requests for comment regarding the arrest.Individuals possessing relevant information concerning this case are encouraged to contact Passaic County Senior Assistant Prosecutor Jessica Petrella via email at jpetrella@passaiccountynj.org or by phone at (973) 247-3330.