FORT WORTH, TX – Trent Muse, 29, a former piano teacher at Trinity Valley School located at 7500 Dutch Branch Rd in Fort Worth, was sentenced to the maximum 10 years in prison on Wednesday, July 23, after pleading guilty to five counts of indecency with a child by exposure.
According to the Tarrant County District Attorney's Office, Muse abused at least five students during the 2022-2023 school year, repeatedly exposing himself during private piano lessons. The case was prosecuted by Erika Staif of the Tarrant County District Attorney's Office.
Families of alleged victims previously filed a lawsuit against Trinity Valley School in March, claiming the school's negligence allowed more than a dozen young girls to be abused and alleging a cover-up. The lawsuit, filed on March 25, asserts that incidents of sexual abuse occurred over eight months in the 2022-23 school year, involving 16 girls aged 6 to 11.
The lawsuit claims Muse was fired in April 2023, but the school allegedly informed parents he left for "personal reasons" and "encouraged families to continue lessons with Muse off campus," stating "no cause for concern."
Trinity Valley School had previously released a statement saying that after receiving a report in April 2023, Muse was promptly terminated and a report was made to Child Protective Services. Upon learning of his June 2024 arrest, the school initiated a third-party investigation. The school stated it is limited in what it can share publicly due to ongoing legal proceedings but is committed to supporting students and families with compassion and sensitivity.
