American JET dismissed after indecent assault of 13-year-old boy in Hiroshima

HIROSHIMA (TR) – The Hiroshima Board of Education earlier this month dismissed an American teacher employed in the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program currently under prosecution for indecent assault, reports the Mainichi Shimbun (May 14).

The board dismissed Charles Kevin Vaughn, a 28-year-old native of Cleveland, Ohio, on May 13 after he apologized and admitted to sexually abusing a 13-year-old boy in Hiroshima City last year.

On August 8 at approximately 9:20 p.m., Vaughn is alleged to have touched the lower half of the body of the boy at the child’s residence, according to a previous report by the Mainichi.

The following day at 4:45 p.m., the defendant reportedly kidnapped the boy, a first-year middle school student, and took him to a toilet at a shopping center where he sexually abused him.

Vaughn, who served as an assistant English instructor for a high school in Hiroshima City, was arrested in October after the boy’s mother lodged a complaint with the Saeki Police Station.

The boy met the suspect through an introduction from an acquaintance in which they were to study English together.

“I am sorry for the concern that this has caused,” said Kuniaki Shimozaki, the superintendent of eduction. “I want to strive to ensure that there is no recurrence.”

Supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other government organizations, the JET Programme currently employs more than 4,000 assistant language teachers from overseas in Japan.