GREENBELT, Md. — Since 1979, Peter Flynn has been a special education teacher at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School in Montgomery County. On Friday, the 61-year-old Silver Spring man was arrested after a grand jury indicted him on one count of possessing child pornography, another for distributing child pornography.
The indictment doesn’t detail what was found, only that he possessed the pornographic material on September 30, 2014.
Flynn appeared at a federal courthouse in Greenbelt and was released by a judge. He must wear an electronic monitoring device, refrain from the internet and stay away from minors.
Rod Rosenstein, the U.S. Attorney for Maryland, says Flynn was arrested after an investigation by Maryland State Police.
“In this case, there is no evidence that any of these victims were students in the Montgomery County schools,” Rosenstein said.
However, Flynn’s attorney Paul Kemp says the government may be able to show possession of the material in the indictment. The charges, Kemp says, don’t involve contact with any human being and “this is simply viewing pornography. It is something in which we don’t think there is really any evidence of actual distribution.”
Kemp says Flynn has not worked with students since September. When word of an indictment came down, Flynn was placed on administrative leave, according to the Montgomery County school system.
School parents were told Friday after Flynn’s arrest. In the letter, BCC Principal Karen Lockard called the news “disturbing.” She also said counselors will be available for students on Monday.
Flynn’s next court date has not been set yet.
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