A Massachusetts teacher, recognized as one of Amazon's Educators of the Year in 2022, has been arrested on charges including aggravated rape of a child and indecent assault and battery. Tymond Tran, 38, is accused of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old student while teaching eighth graders at Thurgood Marshall Middle School in Lynn during the 2022-2023 school year, according to the Essex District Attorney’s Office.
Tran faces charges of aggravated rape of a child with a 10-year age difference, indecent assault and battery on a person 14 or over, posing or exhibiting a child in the nude, and providing obscene matter to a minor. The allegations surfaced in June 2024, leading to his arrest. The specific details of the relationship between Tran and the victim have not been immediately released.
During the same year the alleged crimes took place, Tran was among 10 teachers nationwide to receive the Amazon Future Engineer Teacher of the Year award, which included a $5,000 prize. He continued teaching at the middle school until 2024, when he departed voluntarily. His most recent teaching position was at Lowell Community Charter Public School in Lowell, Massachusetts, where his employment was suspended and subsequently terminated on the same day school officials were informed of the allegations.
"Mr. Tran’s employment with the school was immediately terminated last month after the DA’s Office informed us of the details of the criminal charges," Lowell Community Charter Public School said in a statement. "Like all employees, this individual underwent all required state and federal criminal background checks prior to employment. Because the charges were not filed until June 2026, those required background checks did not identify any criminal charges or convictions at the time of hire."
Tran pleaded not guilty at his arraignment on Wednesday in Essex County Superior Court in Salem. He was released under 24/7 house arrest with a GPS monitoring device and is scheduled to return to court on August 26.
Lynn Mayor Jard Nicholson and Superintendent of Schools Molly Cohen issued a joint statement expressing shock and disturbance. "Our primary concern is for the well-being of the former LPS student. Our hope for that student is healing and justice," the statement read. "We also recognize that this news will be deeply upsetting for students, families, staff, and the broader school community, and we will be making support available as needed. We will continue to fully cooperate with law enforcement and are also conducting our own independent investigation."