Sustain LAist today!

Your monthly gift during our June member drive powers our local newsroom.
1,485 sustainers of 2,500 goal
Logged in as
Audience-funded nonprofit news
radio tower icon laist logo
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
Subscribe
  • Listen Now Playing Listen
  • Listen Now Playing Listen

This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.

This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.

News

Long Beach Teacher Accused of Sexual Assault

This story is free to read because readers choose to support LAist. If you find value in independent local reporting, make a donation to power our newsroom today.

32-year-old Dionn Semaj Holton was taken into custody on Thursday at noon in relation to accusations by a 15-year-old male who claims he was sexual assaulted by him.

Holton, a substitute teacher who came into contact with the student while working at Long Beach's Cabrillo High School, has been "charged with two counts of oral copulation of a person under 16 years of age." Allegedly, Holton had the student perform oral sex inside a Cabrillo High classroom. KNBC.com offers more information about the teacher:

Holton, a former basketball standout at Poly High School and later the University of Portland, has worked as a sub at Cabrillo and several other Long Beach school. At the same time, he was an assistant basketball coach at Millikan High in Long Beach.

Holton, who has lived in Long Beach his whole life "was immediately fired from his substitute teaching job at Cabrillo High School and his assistant coaching job at Millikan High School," explains the Press-Telegram. Further, Holton "taught at about half a dozen schools in the district as a substitute teacher starting in August of 2000 and is a part-time recreation leader for the Parks, Recreation and Marine Department, where he worked with children as a coach."Holton is currently awaiting his arraignment, which is scheduled for Monday.

Photo by Conspirator via Flickr

You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our connected community. We are free to tell the full truth, to hold power to account without fear or favor, and to follow facts wherever they lead. Our only loyalty is to our audiences and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen our community.

Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive from readers like you will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.

If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.

Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief

Make your tax-deductible donation today