Upper Marlboro Teacher Who Sexually Abused Teen Student Sentenced On Sex Offenses

UPPER MARLBORO, MD — A former teacher from Upper Marlboro has been sentenced in connection to the sexual abuse of a 14-year-old boy in 2015.

Melissa Marie Curtis, 31, had been teaching at Montgomery County Village Middle School when the abuse began. According to police, the abuse happened when Curtis was 22 years old and lasted for several months. The victim, who is now an adult, came forward in November 2023 and informed police about the abuse that happened while he was a minor.

According to court documents, when the victim was in eighth grade, Curtis touched him inappropriately over his clothing while in a classroom and performed oral sex. Other incidents involved him being kissed on the mouth while in Curtis' vehicle, being touched at a Montgomery County movie theater, having sex at Curtis' mother's house on two occasions and once at the former teenage boy's home.

"(The victim also) reported Curtis provided him with alcohol and marijuana and encouraged him to perform oral sex on her, which did occur," court documents stated.

Curtis and the teenager were often alone together, since the then 14-year-old victim volunteered at an after-school program that Curtis ran. At the time of the reported sexual abuse, Curtis had been working for the Montgomery County school district for approximately two years and also taught at Lakelands Park Middle School.

On June 20, Curtis pleaded guilty to three counts of third-degree sex offense. On Nov. 15, she was sentenced to 30 years in prison with all suspended but 12 months to serve, followed by five years of supervised probation.