Charles Murray Sutherland, 31, of Takoma Park, was charged with seven counts of possession of child pornography, according to charging documents. Sutherland was a school librarian at Northview Elementary School in Bowie.
Sutherland had previously been arrested and charged by Prince George’s County Police in June 2022 for vandalism for allegedly spray painting the word “Groomer” on the front door of the Prince George’s County Memorial Library’s Greenbelt branch at 11 Crescent Road and on the front door of the New Carrollton Public Library at 7414 Riverdale Road, according to court records.
Sutherland admitted to the vandalism to police and a search of his residence led officials to discover diapers, children’s dolls and a child-sized doll in his bed, charging documents state.
According to officials, Sutherland said he had no children, nieces or nephews and admitted to having child pornography on his laptop, which was then seized by officers.
According to multiple news reports, Sutherland was an elementary school librarian during the time of the vandalism incidents and was placed on administrative leave after his June arrest.
Charging documents stated that on Jan. 11, the digital forensics examination of Sutherland’s laptop, which was seized in June, was completed and provided to detectives, and he was charged by Montgomery County Police on Feb.3.
Montgomery County Police’s Public Information Officer Lauren Ivey stated that Sutherland is being held without bond.
According to the Montgomery County State’s Attorney Office, he is tentatively scheduled to stand trial for the child pornography charges in April.
Sutherland is also scheduled to stand trial in Prince George’s County in August, on vandalism and hate-crime related charges, in connection with the damage caused to the two libraries in that county.
Sutherland’s listed attorneys Thomas Mooney and Mark Joseph Anderson did not immediately respond to MoCo360’s request for comment.
