This story, originally published on Nov. 8 at 5:30 p.m., was updated on Nov. 9 at 2:55 p.m. to correct that the bond set was $50,000.
Melissa Marie Curtis, 31, of Upper Marlboro, who allegedly sexually abused an eighth-grade student as an MCPS teacher in 2015, now works at a charter school, her attorney Audrey Creighton said at her bond hearing Wednesday.
Creighton said that Curtis is currently employed at the Legends Charter School in Lanham in Prince George’s County, which teaches students in kindergarten through fifth grade and will expand to eighth by 2024, according to its website. Curtis will resign if necessary, according to Creighton.
The Legends Charter School declined to comment on Wednesday.
Montgomery County District Court Judge Michael Glynn said Wednesday that Curtis would be released on a $50,000 bond; she has been in jail since Tuesday when she turned herself in.
Montgomery County Police said they obtained an arrest warrant for Curtis on Oct. 31 with 15 charges, including sexual abuse of a minor and multiple counts of third- and fourth-degree sexual offenses.
Glynn said that when released, Curtis will not be allowed to have unsupervised contact with minors, must stay away from all schools and is under the supervision of the Pre-Trial Supervision Unit.
Her preliminary hearing will be on Dec. 1 at the District Court, and she will have the right to a jury trial, according to the judge.
“Ms. Curtis is looking forward to clearing her name at trial,” Creighton told MoCo360 Wednesday.
Curtis has been married for four years, has two children and is pregnant with a third, and numerous family members and friends attended the bond hearing, Creighton said.
Creighton said that Curtis’ friends and family will not be speaking to the press at this time.
The victim alleged that the abuse began when he was attending Montgomery Village Middle School. Curtis was a 22-year-old teacher at the school when the alleged abuse started.
The incidents were spread over several months in 2015, ending in April of that year, and the victim alleged that Curtis had sexual intercourse with him at least 20 times during that period, according to charging documents.
The incidents took place in Montgomery County, occurring in Curtis’ car, at their residences and inside the school, including in a classroom, charging documents alleged.
The victim alleged that before one of the instances, Curtis provided him with alcohol and marijuana, charging documents said.
Curtis taught in MCPS for around two years, also teaching at Lakelands Park Middle School in Gaithersburg, according to police.
MCPS did not respond to a request for comment.
The county police’s Special Victims Investigations Division detectives urge any potential victims to call 240-773-5400.
