Cleveland dance teacher who sexually assaulted former students receives sentence

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - A Cleveland dance instructor found guilty of sexually assaulting more than a half-dozen of his former students was sentenced by Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas Judge Kevin Kelley Thursday to life in prison, with the first possibility of parole at 365 years served.

In May, Terence Greene was convicted of multiple counts of rape, sexual battery, kidnapping and felonious assault. He was also found guilty of gross sexual imposition and disseminating matter harmful to juveniles.

“What I see right now is your soul is lost,” a victim’s mother said at Greene’s sentencing. “You have a lost soul and the devil took over you.”

Greene’s trial began Monday, May 15 in front of Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas Judge Kevin Kelley and the jury started deliberating Tuesday, May 23.

Greene, 57, was a former teacher at the Cleveland School of Arts near Stearns Road and Carnegie Avenue in Cleveland for 19 years.

Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley said from 1998 to 2019, and during his time as the dance teacher, Greene sexually assaulted nine students, all under the age of 18, in the dressing room of the school, at events they traveled both to in and out of state, in his car, and at his residence near Churchill Avenue and Orville Avenue in Cleveland.

“My son is not going to let you get away with this,” a victim’s mother said. “All these children that you victimized.”

In June 2020, the victims reported this to Cleveland police.

On Aug. 13, 2020, Greene was arrested and on Sept. 3, 2020, Green was indicted on the below charges:

• 18 counts of rape

• 29 counts of sexual battery

• Two counts of gross sexual imposition

• Eight counts of felonious assault

• 14 counts of kidnapping

• Three counts of disseminating matter harmful to juveniles