Band teacher accused of sexually assaulting student for 3 years during private music lessons

YORK, Neb. (KOLN/Gray News) - A Nebraska band teacher accused of grooming and sexually assaulting a student has been arrested and charged.

On July 19, the York County Sheriff’s Department took a report regarding an alleged sexual assault involving 33-year-old Nathaniel Acton and a teenage student at Centennial Public Schools.

Acton was a band teacher at Centennial Public Schools until he resigned at the end of the 2023-24 academic year. He accepted another teaching job in a different school district.

According to the affidavit, Acton is accused of sexually assaulting the student over the course of about three years.

Deputies spoke with the victim’s mother and learned that Acton and the victim started messaging each other on Snapchat in early 2024.

Authorities believe the victim was sexually assaulted multiple times while Acton was supposed to be providing music lessons, according to court documents.

According to the affidavit, the student eventually cut off communication with Acton. Authorities were alerted after Acton continued to contact the alleged victim.

The victim was interviewed at BraveBe Child Advocacy Center in Lincoln earlier this week, and Acton was taken into custody a short time later.

Centennial Public Schools shared a statement saying Acton’s resignation was not related to the current allegations.

“Centennial Public School has established procedures to evaluate allegations that an adult has violated appropriate boundaries with a student, regardless of whether that adult is a staff member, a volunteer or, as here, a former employee. We followed those procedures in this case and we will continue to communicate with those involved, and take further action as appropriate,” the statement said.

Bruning-Davenport Unified School District, where Acton was most recently employed, also issued a statement after it was notified of the ongoing investigation. The district confirmed that Acton agreed to resign Wednesday morning. His resignation will be considered at the school’s board meeting in August.

Acton is charged with first- and third-degree sexual assault of a child, first- and third-degree sexual assault, child abuse, child enticement by an electronic communication device, possession of child sexual abuse material, and inducing creation of child sexual abuse material.

His bond was set at $250,000.