BERKLEY (WWJ) – A former teacher in Livonia’s Clarenceville School District has been found guilty of multiple sex crimes involving students.
Jason Debandt, 44, was convicted on Friday of two counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct, one count of fourth-degree CSC and two counts of sending sexually explicit material to minors.
The charges stem from incidents at his home with two former students in Berkley between 2011-2015.
Several students came forward in August 2020 with sexual assault allegations against Debandt, who was a theater and choir teacher at the school.
In this case, the victims were both 16 and 17 years old at the time of the incidents, according to Berkley police officials.
Authorities say the victims are “beyond grateful for the jury who heard their voice, and the people in this case that stood by their side the entire time.”
“Berkley Public Safety is proud of these girls for coming forward. These young ladies were so brave to have their lives shared in front of strangers, and to be a voice for so many others who were too scared to say anything, was amazing to see,” officials said in a statement. “These girls had to go through so much due to a teacher, taking advantage of their circumstances, to prey upon his students.”
Debandt is being held at the Oakland County Jail until he learns his sentence on June 6.
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