A 28-year-old man who served as an assistant football coach and substitute teacher at Poly High School was arrested on charges of child pornography and sexual contact with a minor, according to police.
Carson resident David Vernon Price Jr. was arrested Saturday on suspicion of contact with a minor for sexual misconduct, distribution or showing pornography to a minor, and possession of child pornography, police said. He has since been released on $45,000 bond.
“The Long Beach Unified School District takes seriously any allegations of inappropriate conduct with minors and cooperates with law enforcement on such investigations,” said Evelyn Somoza, assistant public iInformation director at Long Beach Unified School District. “The safety and wellbeing of our students is always our primary concern.”
Price Jr. had worked as an assistant football coach at Poly High School since August 2022, Somoza said.
Between December 2022 and June 2023, Price Jr. also served as a substitute teacher at Poly High School and Hoover Middle School, Somoza said.
“The school district immediately removed (Price) as assistant coach and substitute teacher when we were notified of his arrest,” Somoza said, adding that he will not be returning to LBUSD due to the pending charges against him.
In addition to working in Long Beach, police say Price also worked in schools in the Los Angeles, though authorities did not disclose where Price worked or when he was employed there.
Investigators from the Los Angeles Police Department’s Juvenile Division’s Internet Crimes Against Children Unit identified one minor victim in Los Angeles. It is believed that there are additional victims, police said. Price is believed to target girls.
Price was described as a 6-foot-tall Black man weighing 228 pounds with black hair and brown eyes.
Anyone with information that could lead to the identification of additional victims or witnesses was asked to call the LAPD’s Juvenile Division’s Internet Crimes Against Children Unit at 562-624-4027. During non-business hours or weekends, calls should be made to 877-527-3247.
Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.
City News Service contributed to this report.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated with more information from authorities and from the Long Beach Unified School District. It has also been updated to correct the spelling of David Vernon Price Jr.’s last name.