Private High School Teacher Charged With Sexually Abusing Two Students

Two victims have been identified after a Potomac school teacher was accused of sexually abusing students, and authorities are urging any other victims to come forward.

Justin Andrew Gordon, 40, of Poolesville was charged Thursday with two counts of sexual abuse of a minor and two counts of fourth-degree sexual offense.

He had been a robotics teacher and moderator to the Technology Club at Connelly School of the Holy Child, 9029 Bradley Blvd. in Potomac.

The school said it fired Gordon over the weekend after learning of the charges.

A teenage girl reported last week that Gordon had initiated a personal relationship with her in October 2014 that escalated to inappropriate sexual touching by May 2015, police said.

Montgomery County Police then confirmed a second victim became involved with Gordon in 2008 when she was a teenage student at Connelly. The suspect had cultivated a personal friendship with the victim, which escalated by 2012 to inappropriate sexual contact, police allege.

Detectives are concerned that there may be other victims and ask that anyone who believes that they have been victimized by Gordon, call the Special Victims Investigations Division at 240-773-5400.

School officials praised people who came forward to report Gordon’s conduct, and said, “We are extremely saddened by this troubling news and pray for all those affected.”

Shannon Gomez, the head of Connelly School, posted this message to parents on the school website:

On Friday, July 10, 2015, the administration received a report regarding Justin Gordon’s failure to maintain professional staff-student boundaries. At the time, Mr. Gordon worked as a Computer Lab Assistant at Holy Child. Upon receiving this information, the school administration immediately notified the proper authorities in compliance with our school policies. Over the weekend, Mr. Gordon was placed on administrative leave and instructed not to come to work until further notice. After further investigation, the school terminated Mr. Gordon’s employment.

We subsequently learned that the police charged Mr. Gordon with two counts of sexual abuse of a minor and two counts of fourth-degree sexual offense. The police have identified two victims.

We are extremely saddened by this troubling news and pray for all those affected. There is nothing more important than the safety and well-being of our community. Holy Child works to carefully screen and conduct background checks of all faculty and staff prior to offering them employment. Further we comply with all civil reporting mandates governing the abuse of minors, and cooperate with law enforcement in investigating allegations. As the investigation continues, we will deal as openly as possible with the school community while respecting individual privacy. Our counseling staff is available to our Holy Child families.

We are grateful to those who had the courage and sensibility to alert us to this situation. And we commend the Montgomery County Police Department for its care and concern for those involved and for its communication with the school. We will continue to cooperate with the Police Department during the course of its investigation.

Finally, let me again reiterate our commitment to the well-being of every member of our school community. There is nothing more important to us.

»Photo of Justin Gordon, courtesy of Montgomery County Police