Former Amazon ‘teacher of the year’ arrested for allegedly raping 14-year-old student in Massachusetts

A male Massachusetts teacher named one of Amazon’s educators of the year in 2022 was arrested for allegedly sexually abusing a 14-year-old student the same year he earned the nationwide title.

Tymond Tran, 38, is accused of raping a student, who was 14 at the time, while teaching eighth graders at Thurgood Marshall Middle School in Lynn during the 2022-2023 school year, the Essex District Attorney’s Office announced Wednesday, according to CBS Boston.

The exact details of the allegations and relationship between Tran and the victim are not immediately known, but the now-former educator is facing a slew of sexual misconduct charges.

A grand jury indicted Tran on 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 DA announced.

During the same year the disturbing allegations took place, Tran was one of just 10 teachers in the US to receive the Amazon Future Engineer Teacher of the Year award and won $5,000.

He continued teaching at the middle school until 2024, when he left on his own accord, according to the outlet.

Most recently, Tran was a technology teacher at Lowell Community Charter Public School in Lowell —approximately 32 miles northwest of Lynn — but his employment was suspended then terminated on the same day school officials learned of the disturbing allegations, The Lowell Sun reported.

“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 to the publication.

“Like all employees, this individual underwent all required state and federal criminal background checks prior to employment,” the statement said. “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 Wednesday in Essex County Superior Court in Salem and was released into 24/7 house arrest with a GPS monitoring device, the outlet reported.

He is due back in court on Aug. 26.

Following Tran’s arraignment, Lynn Mayor Jard Nicholson and Superintendent of Schools Molly Cohen said they “are shocked and disturbed” by the allegations against the former Lynn school teacher. 

“Our primary concern is for the well-being of the former LPS student. Our hope for that student is healing and justice,” the statement said. 

“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.”