Alan Beier
Posted by Webmaster in Hall of Shame, High Schools, ME-FV, ME-MV, Maryland, Science Teachers
(5/31/07 – Initial BBT Report)
Alan Meade Beier, 53, a chemistry and physics teacher at River Hill High School in Clarksville, MD accused of sexual misconduct with students failed in his bid this week to have some of the evidence against him ruled inadmissible and to have some of the charges dropped.
Beier is charged with sexual abuse of minor, fourth-degree sex offense and second-degree assault stemming from accusations by three of Beier’s students.
One of Beier’s accusers, a 16-year-old boy, told investigators that in January that Beier undressed and photographed him at the school after hours. During the investigation police allegedly recovered from Beier’s home photographs of the boy matching what he described to police.
Another of Beier’s accusers, a 17-year-old girl, told investigators that Beier fondled her buttocks twice during 2006.
The accusations of a third accuser, a boy reported only as ‘under 18′ have not been revealed as they were handed up the result of a grand jury investigation.
Beier who was River Hill’s 2001 Teacher of the Year has been on paid administrative leave since his January arrest. He is also the third Howard County, MD teacher to be accused of sexual misconduct with students recently.
His trial is currently set for July 23.
Update 7/12/07:
Circuit Court Judge Diane Leasure suspended Beier’s July 23 trial at the request of Beier’s attorney while Beier files an appeal in the Court of Special Appeals regarding evidence police seized from Beier’s house at the time of his Jan. 12 arrest.
Update 9/06/07:
The Maryland Court of Special Appeals rejected Beier’s appeal of the judge’s ruling in which the judge rejected Beier’s efforts to have some of the evidence against him ruled inadmissible and to have some of the charges dropped.
A pre-trial hearing is now set for November 9th.
3/28/08 – Guilty Verdict
In a non-jury trail Alan Beier has been found guilty of second-degree assault and sexual abuse of a minor.
Beier is on home detention until sentencing on June 9th.
Beier faces additional charges and a trial in August on allegations of the sexual abuse of two other students.
06/09/08 – Sentencing
Alan Beier has been sentenced to 4 years in prison.
In addition to his prison time Beier will be required to register as a sex offender.
Beier’s attorneys indicated that they will appeal.
Beier still faces two more cases, one involving another male student and one case involving a female student, all from the same high school.
08/05/08 – Case #2 Update
On Monday a judge denied a defense motion to dismiss the charges against Alan Beier sentenced to 4 years in prison on his earlier conviction, which he is appealing.
The prosecution does however intend to dismiss charges against Beier in order to re-indict him before a grand jury. At that time the defense and prosecution will set a new trial date.
Beier faces charges of sexual abuse of a minor and second-degree assault on allegations that he took sexually exploitative pictures of a male student in April 2006.
08/07/08 – Grand Jury Indictment
Alan Beier convicted in March of sexually abusing a male student was indicted by a Howard County grand jury this week in a second case of alleged sexual abuse.
In this latest indictment Beier was indicted on one count of sexual abuse of a minor and second-degree assault.
This indictment replaces a previous indictment which the prosecution sought to amend and the state’s motion to amend was denied.
09/04/08 – Request For Release Denied
For the second time a judge has denied a request by Alan Meade Beier to be released from prison while he appeals his conviction for sexually abusing a student.
Beier’s attorney told the judge that media coverage of Beier’s case prompted inmates at the Baltimore City Correctional Center to attack Beier in his cell, breaking his nose.
Prosecutors have decided to place one of two other pending cases against the teacher on an inactive docket where it may remain for up to three years. A trial in the third case against Beier is set to start in February 2009.
02/02/09 – Alan Beier Freed From Prison
As part of a plea agreement, Alan Meade Beier was released from prison today, after serving only 10 months of a four year prison sentence.
Beier pleaded guilty today to a second charge of sexually abusing a minor.
As a result of that guilty plea, he received a 10-year sentence, however Howard County Circuit Judge Diane Leasure suspended all but the time he had served since his sentencing in June on the first case.
The judge also modified the sentence in the initial case to allow Beier’s release from prison.
Reportedly Beier had been transferred between four prison facilities in the past 10 months as a result of attacks and threats from inmates.
Beier will be placed on three years’ supervised probation and will reportedly be required to register as a child sex offender.
References:
Ex-teacher convicted of sexually abusing students freed after 10 months in prison (02/02/09)
Convicted child sex offender freed in plea deal (02/02/09)
Judge refuses to release ex-teacher from prison (09/04/08)
Ex-teacher indicted on second sex abuse charge (08/07/08)
Dismissal of sex abuse charges rejected (08/05/08)
Former Teacher Gets 4 Years In Jail For Sex Abuse (06/09/08)
Former Teacher Found Guilty Of Sex Abuse
Teacher Convicted Of Sex Abuse (3/28/08)
Student nude photos described as not ’sexual’ (3/28/08)
Howard teen says teacher took nude photos of him (3/26/08)
Court rejects appeal of accused teacher (9/06/07)
Judge suspends trial of River Hill teacher (7/12/07)
Seized evidence allowed in teacher sex case
Background:
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I was Alan’s closest friend from Kindergarten through High school. He was a straight A student, great friend, and everyone liked him. His problems must have come about later in his life. He was as normal as any guy could be growing up. I am sorry for the people hurt by his actions, and hope he will get the help he needs. I am still fond of my memories with him, especially through high school at South! Alan, I am praying for your complete recovery! Kenny
Beier was my teacher the year this happened. And i know both of the people that told on him. I was in his class while the took him away. It was a shock and what makes it worst is that less then a year before another one of my teachers from the same school was arrested mid school day for selling drugs to students. For River Hill to be one of the best schools in the state its also the worst. He didnt seem like he would do this kind of thing all i remember is he always smelled weird. he deserved teacher of the year. the only thing that really bothered me is that the male student actually believed him when he said the pictures he was taking were for mr.rhhs because they trusted him.
Oh, he wants out because his nose was broken?
Does he not even comprehend how his former students feel?? I mean, someone who was everyone’s favorite, the teacher of the year, has been exposed for something so vicious, and he hasn’t even admitted guilt, but just keeps fighting jail time.
Now, if he apologized for lying to hundreds, if not thousands, of students, if he was truly sorry, maybe then prosecutors would be more lenient. I hope he rots in jail for years to come.
Why are the spreading out each of the cases? I don’t understand. Is this a prosecution tactic to ensure any sentence handed down doesn’t run concurrent?
Mr Beier was a teacher and my ice hockey coach at High Point High School in Beltsville, Md in the early 1980’s. I was very shocked to hear this news. I hope he gets the help he needs because he definitely has a problem. There were several teachers that I would have thought had a problem, but he was definitely not one of them.