Howard County Public School Teacher Pleads Guilty to Sexual Child Abuse

April 23, 2009

A Howard County public school teacher pleaded guilty to one count of sexual abuse of a minor before a circuit court Judge this morning. Robert Douglas Johnston, 61, of the 4400 block of Brittany Drive in Ellicott City, entered the plea before Judge Diane Leasure. He will be sentenced on August 13. Under the terms of the plea agreement, the State is seeking active incarceration of 18 months jail time.

At the time of his arrest, Johston was a teacher at Mt. Hebron High School in Ellicott City. According to a statement of facts read into the record at the plea hearing, the female victim, a student of Johnston's, was 15-years-old when the inappropriate relationship began with her teacher.