Joseph Ellis
Posted by Webmaster in Government, Hall of Shame, High Schools, History, ME-FV, Maryland(1/07/08 – Initial BBT Report)
Joseph Samuel Ellis, 25, a former history and government teacher at Glenelg High School in Glenelg, Maryland accused of having inappropriate sexual contact with several students pleaded guilty today to one count of displaying obscene materials to a minor.
Ellis will face trial this week on charges of sex abuse of a minor, indecent exposure, telephone misuse and two counts of a fourth-degree sex offense.
The charge to which Ellis pleaded guilty today carries a maximum punishment of one year in prison, a $1,000 fine or both. Sentencing on the charge to which Ellis pleaded guilty will take place following his trial on the remaining charges.
Ellis admitted today that on December 17, 2006 he sent six sexually explicit photos to the e-mail account of a 17-year-old female student.
Police arrested Ellis in January 2007 upon allegations from students accusing him of various crimes including exposing himself to a student in a classroom, sending suggestive computer messages to another and persuading a third to meet him at a park with the promise of alcohol.
In April 2007 Ellis was fired by the Howard County Board of Education.
1/09/08 – Jury Says Guilty
After three hours of deliberations a Howard County jury found Joseph Ellis guilty of child sexual abuse, indecent exposure and telephone misuse.
3/19/08 – Sentencing Delayed
The sentencing hearing scheduled Friday for Joseph S. Ellis has been postponed until April 25th.
Ellis remains in the Howard County Detention Center while awaiting sentencing.
04/26/08 – Sentencing
Joseph Ellis was been sentenced to five years in prison.
The judge also ordered Ellis to serve five years’ supervised probation after his prison term and Ellis must register as a child sex offender.
Judge Richard Bernhardt in sentencing Ellis said that Ellis “betrayed the trust that was bestowed upon him as a schoolteacher”.
08/14/08 – Sentence Review Denied
Judge Richard Bernhardt has denied a request by Joseph Ellis that his sentence be reviewed and possibly modified.
Ellis is serving five years in prison to be followed by five years of probation.
03/03/09 – Ellis Appeals Conviction and Sentence
Joseph Ellis today appealed his conviction along with the five-year sentence.
In his appeal, Ellis seeks acquittal on the child sexual abuse charge, that the case be remanded to a different judge for resentencing, and that evidence gleaned through warrants he considers to be faulty be suppressed in the event the court decides to grant a new trial.
05/12/09 – Appeal Rejected
An opinion released Monday by the state’s second-highest court rejected Joseph Ellis’ appeal of his conviction.
Ellis will continue to serve his five-year sentence for sexually abusing a student.
References:
Court rejects appeal by teacher convicted of sexually abusing student (05/11/09)
Former Glenelg teacher appeals sex-abuse conviction (03/03/09)
Jail sentence review denied for ex-teacher (08/14/08)
Former teacher sentenced to 5 years for sex abuse (04/26/08)
Teacher Found Guilty Of Indecent Exposure, Sex Abuse (1/09/08)
Ex-Howard teacher pleads guilty to showing lewd content (1/07/08)
Background:
Teacher Faces Sex Offense Charges (1/08/07)
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Ellis had to be one of my favorite teachers and this hasnt changed my mind about him as a person. I personally knew both girls and for the record they are not as innocent as people are trying to make them seem.
Joey was a nice kid in high school but you really have to be an idiot to do what he did. Five yeras is a lot of time but then again you should be able to trust your teachers. Bad Joey!
There’s no courthouse in Elkridge. That’s where Joe lived. The courthouse is in Ellicott City.
Joe was a smart and nice guy when I knew him. He should have known better.
The age difference may have warranted a lesser sentence if Joe was a waiter, in retail, etc. anything but a teacher. As a teacher he has a duty to teach and protect children. If he was afraid that the small age difference may cause issues, he could have taught younger grades until he was mature enough for high school students.
While he was wrong, the age difference should not constitute jail time.
Glenelg High School is in Glenelg, MD…. Elkridge is in the same county – but about 30 min away by car. Elkridge may be where the trial took place. Also, Ellis is 26 y.o. Please check your facts.