Updated 12:10 p.m. Oct. 6: A former Montgomery County Public Schools paraeducator was arrested and charged with a sex offense for allegedly inappropriately touching a 10-year-old girl while he was a group leader at a Potomac after-school event, police said Thursday.
Roy A. Simmons III of Gaithersburg was employed with Kid Adventures, a company that sponsored an after-school event at Carderock Springs Elementary School in Potomac in November 2016, according to police. Simmons was leading a group activity, and inappropriately touched a girl when she was separated from other students, the girl told police.
The girl spoke to investigators about the incident in May, according to police.
Simmons, 41, of the 9500 block of Bell Vernon Place, turned himself in Thursday afternoon. Montgomery County police said they obtained an arrest warrant for him this week.
Police listed his middle name as Andres. The school system listed his middle name as Andrew. It wasn't clear on Friday which was correct. A letter from Principal Jae Lee to parents said Simmons was known as Andy.
Detectives believe there may be additional victims. Sgt. Rebecca Innocenti did not know on Friday morning if police had received any other complaints since the arrest was made public Thursday evening.
During an interview with police, Simmons admitted to the inappropriate contact, according to a press release.
He was charged with fourth-degree sex offense and second-degree assault, police said.
Simmons was also a temporary, part-time paraeducator at Carderock Springs Elementary, Lee wrote in a letter to parents. He worked there from fall of 2015 to May 2017, an MCPS spokeswoman said.
Lee wrote Thursday that MCPS fired Simmons immediately upon learning of the allegations against him.
"These charges are deeply concerning and wholly unacceptable. They represent a violation of the core values of our school and school system," Lee wrote.
Police have asked parents of students who may have had contact with Simmons to talk to their children about their interactions with him and to call special victims detectives at 240-773-5400 if they believe their child was a victim.
This story and headline were updated at 11:40 a.m. Oct. 6 to add information about Simmons's employment with the school system. It was updated at 12:10 p.m to reflect a discrepancy about the spelling of his middle name.
Bethany Rodgers and Andrew Schotz contributed to this story.
