Chicago Police

Chicago Dance Instructor Charged With Sexual Assault of Teens

A Chicago dance instructor was charged Friday with repeatedly sexually assaulting two teenagers on his dance team, according to authorities and prosecutors.

Maurice Fulson, 44, was charged with two counts of sexual assault of a minor under his supervision, as well as one count each of creating and possessing child pornography - all felonies, Chicago police said in a statement.

Fulson, of the 12500 block of South Princeton Avenue, owns and operates a dance studio in the 1700 block of East 87th Street in the Stony Island Park neighborhood on the South Side, officials said.

Fulson was arrested on Wednesday in the city's Loop after police said investigators identified him as the offender who repeatedly sexually assaulted a then 16-year-old girl beginning in June 2016, and continuing through December 2017.

Authorities said Fulson recorded sex acts with the victim and stored them on electronic devices. Prosecutors alleged the abuse happened more than a dozen times at Fulson's home, van or dance studio. 

The victim's mother found videos on the teen's phone, prosecutors said. 

In court Friday, prosecutors said Fulson was also accused of abusing a 15-year-old on at least four occasions in his dance studio. The teen, who prosecutors said contracted an STD from Fulson, confided in a friend about the abuse. 

Fulson was listed as the head of Final Phaze Performance Dance Troupe NFP, according to the not-for-profit corporation filing with the Illinois Secretary of State's office.

A Facebook page for Final Phaze lists an address in that same block, with an alumni page crediting Fulson with starting the organization in 1995 as a non-profit to teach hip-hop dance with a commitment to "keeping participants motivated to stay focused on dancing and away from the perils of inner-city life such as crime, teenage pregnancy, school dropout, etc."

Cook County court records show that Fulson was charged with 21 felony counts of sexual assault, sexual abuse and aggravated sexual abuse of a minor in 2001. He was found not guilty on all counts in a trial in 2002.

Attorney information for Fulson was not available and Final Phaze did not immediately respond to request for comment.

Fulson was denied bail Friday. He is next scheduled to appear in court Aug. 29.

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