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Ex-Long Beach Poly assistant football coach accused of sexual abuse of female student

noah goldberg
·2 min read
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Mug shot of David Vernon Price, Jr.
David Vernon Price Jr., a substitute teacher and resident of Carson, was arrested and accused of sexual abuse of a student and possessing child pornography. (Los Angeles Police Department)

For the record:
2:51 p.m. Aug. 15, 2023: An earlier version of this story reported that the Los Angeles Police Department said the suspect’s last name was Prince. His last name is Price.

A standout football player turned assistant football coach and substitute teacher at Long Beach Polytechnic High School has been accused of sexually abusing a female student and possessing child pornography — and detectives are asking other potential victims to come forward, the Los Angeles Police Department said.

Carson resident David Vernon Price Jr., 28, was arrested Saturday and charged with contact with a minor for a sexual offense, distribution of child pornography and possession of child pornography.

Detectives said that they had a single minor victim but that they believe there are additional victims. Police declined to say the age of the victim but confirmed she was a student at a school where Price worked.

"Price is believed to target minor age females," the LAPD said in a news release.

Read more: L.A. schoolteacher charged with sexually assaulting 6 first-graders

Price worked as a substitute and assistant football coach at Poly starting in August 2022 and served as a substitute teacher at Hoover Middle School between December 2022 and June 2023, according to the Long Beach Unified School District.

"The school district immediately removed Mr. Price as assistant coach and substitute teacher when we were notified of his arrest. Mr. Price will not be returning to LBUSD due to the pending charges against him," said Evelyn Somoza, a school district spokesperson.

Price was a student at Long Beach Poly and played cornerback and safety. He graduated in 2013. He was recruited to play at the University of Arizona and played a few games there before transferring to Azusa Pacific University, where he played linebacker until 2018.

The Los Angeles Unified School District said it had no record of Price working at any of its schools.

Authorities asked anyone with additional information to reach out to the LAPD's Juvenile Division’s Internet Crimes Against Children Unit at (562) 624-4027.

Read more: California 'Teacher of the Year' faces 14 charges in child sexual abuse case

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.