South Side dance instructor charged with sexually assaulting 2 teenage students

The owner of a South Side dance studio is facing felony charges that he sexually assaulted two teenage girls who were members of a dance troupe he oversaw.

Prosecutors said Chicago Police are investigating 44-year-old Maurice Fulson in at least five more sex cases involving students at the studio.

Judge Stephanie Miller denied Fulson bail during a hearing Friday at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse and ordered him to have no contact with the alleged victims or anyone under the age of 18 while he’s held at the Cook County Jail.

Fulson is accused of having sex with a 15-year-old girl and a 16-year-old girl and has been charged with two counts of criminal sexual assault, according to the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office and Chicago police.

Fulson is also accused of recording at least one of the alleged assaults of the 16-year-old and is additionally charged with manufacturing child pornography and possesssing child pornography, according to prosecutors.

Fulson has owned Final Phaze Dance Studio at 1716 E. 87th St. since the late 1990s, Assistant State’s Attorney Daniel Crone said during the hearing Friday.

A representative for Final Phaze has not responded to requests for comment.

Fulson, who lives in West Pullman on the Far South Side, was arrested about 3:20 p.m. Wednesday, according to police.

The first incident involving the 16-year-old happened in June 2016 when he sexually assaulted the girl at his home, Crone said. The girl and other members of the troupe had been soliciting donations from cars on the street and he took the girl back to his home after dropping off the others.

He drove the girl back to the studio after the assault, told her he loved her and instructed her not to tell anyone, Crone said. As of December last year, Fulson had sexually assaulting the girl on at least 15 occasions, including when he recorded the assault, Crone said.

The mother of Fulson’s child found discovered the videos on Fulson’s phone and sent them to the 16-year-old girl through Facebook Messenger, Crone said. When the girl received the photos, she told her mother what happened.

Fulson sexually assaulted the 15-year-old about four times, including at the dance studio, Crone said.

Fulson has been convicted of vehicular hijacking and possession of a stolen motor vehicle, Crone said.

Fulson’s public defender said he has one child and is engaged to be married.

Fulson’s next court appearance was scheduled for Aug. 29.