Local guitar teacher accused of sexually abusing 12-year-old student

WASHINGTON — A Maryland guitar instructor is accused of sexually abusing a young student, WJLA reports.

Police say Silver Spring, Maryland resident Jeffrey O’Connor, 52, molested a male music student, starting when the boy was just 12 years old.

Montgomery County Special Victims Unit detectives arrested O’Connor Wednesday night.

Investigators say the alleged abuse began in August 2008 and continued on “numerous occasions,” according to an arrest report, for two years.

“He inappropriately touched our victim on several occasions,” said Officer Nicole Gamard, a Montgomery County Police spokesperson.

“It’s a parent’s and, I’m sure, the victim’s worst nightmares come to fruition,” Gamard said. “This was somebody they trusted.”

Police call O’Connor a “privately hired guitar instructor.” He was an acquaintance of the victim’s family, they say, who bought the boy’s silence with gifts.

O’Connor is being held on a $150,000 bond and faces multiple sex abuse charges.

But police are now concerned  that there could be other victims. If the case, authorities hope they will contact them.

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