PE teacher in D.C. latest to face sex abuse charge

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A physical education instructor at a Northeast middle school has been charged with having sex with a 14-year-old female student -- the latest in a rash of area sex scandals involving children and their teachers or instructors.

Brandon C. Jones, 32, is charged with enticing a minor to sexual rendezvous. According to court records, he had sex at area motels on three occasions with one of his students at Bertie Backus Middle School on South Dakota Avenue NE.

Mr. Jones, who lives in Bowie with his wife and their three children, is the sixth teacher or instructor in the past three months in the Baltimore-Washington area accused of propositioning, molesting or having sex with students.

A D.C. Superior Court judge released Mr. Jones on personal recognizance after his arrest April 21, but ordered him to stay away from the school, the victim and children under 16, except his own. Mr. Jones was placed on administrative leave with pay.

"The seriousness of the allegations meant we had to put him on leave immediately," said D.C. Public Schools spokeswoman Lucy Young.

Mrs. Young said the school system performs a criminal-background check on every teacher but she did not know what officials knew about Mr. Jones' background or whether it would have precluded employment as a physical education teacher. Court records show that Mr. Jones was arrested for burglary in Baltimore in 1997, three years before he was hired at the school. The records did not indicate the disposition of the burglary charge.

Police learned of Mr. Jones' relationship with the student after an adult overheard a student talking about a female classmate having sex with the gym teacher.

According to records, investigators interviewed the victim at her home April 15 and learned that she first had sex with Mr. Jones on March 31 at a Quality Inn in Silver Spring. She also had sex with him April 2 and April 8 at a Motel 6 in Laurel.

Montgomery County Police Department spokesman Derek Baliles said investigators are working with District police to determine whether additional charges will be filed.

It was unclear yesterday whether Prince George's County would pursue charges against Mr. Jones.