LCC professor charged after child sex operation

LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) — A Lansing Community College professor is on administrative leave after he was arrested during a police sting targeting child sex.

Jonathan Marshall Tenbrink, 42, is charged with child sexual abuse and molesting a minor for immoral purposes, and two counts of using a computer to commit a crime.

The Lansing Police Department’s Special Operations Section and an Eaton County Sheriff’s detective arrested Tenbrink on July 17 during an undercover sting.

Tenbrink was arraigned in 54A District Court in Lansing on July 18. He pleaded not guilty to all counts.

In the court document his last name was spelled “Tenbrink,” but the college spells it online as “Ten Brink.”

Dr. Tenbrink is listed as Faculty Chair of the LCC Music Program.

An LCC official confirmed to 6 News that “a Lansing Community College employee has been placed on administrative leave effective July 18, 2024, following an arrest by the Lansing Police Department. As the matter is still pending, we have no additional comment at this time.”

“We are in the early stages of our investigation,” Tenbrink’s attorney, Edwar Zeineh, told 6 News in a written statement. “It is always important to remind others that our client is presumed innocent of these charges, a constitutional right that all citizens have.”

Tenbrink has a scheduled hearing on August 1 at 9:30 a.m. His bail has been set at $50,000.