Silver Spring Elementary Teacher Charged with Sex Abuse of 2 Girls

Silver Spring, MD — A teacher at Clover Elementary School has been charged with multiple counts of sex abuse for allegations that he inappropriately touched two girls' buttocks and held one child inappropriately on his lap on several occasions, police say.

John Vigna, 49, of the 1000 block of Notley Road in Silver Spring, turned himself in to Montgomery County Police and was arrested Monday morning, June 27.

He is charged with one count of sexual abuse of a minor and four counts of third-degree sexual offense for the first victim, plus one count of sexual abuse of a minor and one count of third-degree sexual offense for a second victim.

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The sexual offenses alleged against the third-grade teacher involved two students and began for one student in August of 2014 and continued into February of 2016; and involved a second student in February of 2016. The incidents occurred in a classroom at the school, located at 800 Briggs Chaney Road in Silver Spring.

Vigna was placed by the Montgomery County Public Schools system on administrative leave in February 2016 when police were notified, and he remained on administrative leave throughout the rest of the school year.

Beginning in August of 2014 and continuing through February of 2016, Vigna on four or five occasions held the first victim, now an 11-year-old girl, on his lap. Police say Vigna moved the child back and forth on his lap while holding her close to him. When she tried to leave, he resisted letting her go.

The girl was also inappropriately touched on the buttocks several times in the classroom while other students were engaged in activities that prevented them from noticing the contact, investigators say. The victim sometimes hugged the teacher goodbye and he would use that opportunity to make that further inappropriate contact.

In February of 2016, the student's friend, also an 11-year-old girl, came into the classroom. Both students hugged the teacher goodbye and both saw that Vigna rubbed the buttocks of the girls. The second victim talked to her parents and police were contacted.

Detectives ask that parents of students who had Vigna as a teacher talk to their children about their interactions with him and contact police at 240-773-5400 if they believe their child was victimized.

Vigna is currently being held on a $150,000 bond.

»Photo of Cloverly Elementary School teacher John Vigna, courtesy of Montgomery County Police