A county jury has found a Rockville man guilty of two counts of second-degree sexual offense stemming from sexual encounters brokered over a social media dating app.
Colin Sime Black, 35, was charged with second-degree rape, four counts of second-degree sexual offenses, two counts of second-degree assault and false imprisonment after involvement with four women he met through the Tinder matchmaking service.
Black faced of two counts of second-degree sexual offense in a trial that began Tuesday and two trials are scheduled later this month for the six other counts against him.
A judge ordered him jailed after the verdict was delivered Friday afternoon.
The 12-person jury deliberated for less than 90 minutes following the three-day trial, which focused on charges related to two of the four women.
“It’s hard to imagine this jury even considered the judge’s instructions,” defense attorney Barry Helfand said, referring to the quick verdict.
Second-degree sexual offense carries a maximum of 20 years in prison in Maryland. State law the crime as a sexual act by force, or the threat of force, without the consent of the other person.
One woman came forward to police shortly after the assault in March 2017, police said. Officers learned in September 2017 of a possible additional victim, and spoke with her in October 2017.
Both women testified at the trial, along with friends of the women who knew of the assaults and the detectives who investigated the cases.
Prosecutors agreed Black had some consensual sex with the victims, but said he ignored a lack of consent for other sex acts.
Helfand said the jury disliked his client’s penchant for these particular acts, leading to the swift verdict.
“I did give the jury lots and lots of facts that should’ve raised a reasonable doubt,” Helfand said.
Helfand said he plans to appeal the verdict on the grounds that some evidence of the interactions between Black and the victims was unlawfully barred from being admitted at the trial.
Black was a guidance counselor at Albert Einstein High School in Kensington and was placed on administrative leave after his arrest. None of the encounters involved students, police said.
He was terminated from his position with county schools in early 2018, a spokesman said.
Black faces two additional trials set for July 8 and 15. The county State’s Attorney’s Office declined to comment on last week’s conviction given the upcoming trials.
Black, who had been out of jail on $75,000 bond, was ordered held without bond in a county detention center.
Charlie Wright can be reached at charlie.wright@moco360.media
