An East Texas physical education teacher and coach was arrested Wednesday and charged with sexual assault of a child.
D’Marjai Dearion, 25, is accused of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old female.
Dearion worked for Longview Independent School District but resigned following his arrest.
A statement from the district indicated that Dearion taught at Judson Middle School during the 2023–24 school year and at East Texas Montessori Prep Academy and Forest Park Middle School during the 2024–25 school year.
Longview ISD stated that after learning of the allegations against Dearion on January 13, the teacher was “immediately removed from campus and placed on administrative leave pending an investigation. Following his arrest on Jan. 14, Mr. Dearion submitted his resignation.”
According to a media release from the Longview Police Department, officers responded on January 11 to a residence in reference to a sexual assault that had already occurred.
Police obtained a warrant for Dearion on January 14 and arrested him that day for sexual assault of a child, a second-degree felony punishable by 2 to 20 years in prison.
“Longview ISD is cooperating fully with the Longview Police Department’s ongoing investigation and expresses gratitude for their assistance. The district has also reported this incident to the Texas Education Agency (TEA) as required by state law,” the district’s statement concluded.
State records show Dearion was certified as a physical education intern in December 2024.
Dearion was booked into the Gregg County Jail on Tuesday and released Wednesday on a $150,000 bond.
Texas Scorecard has covered dozens of educators charged with sex crimes involving students and other children.
