News Releases

School Teacher Arrested for Inappropriate Sexual Contact with Student; Possibility of Additional Victims a Concern

For Immediate Release: Wednesday, August 26, 2020

Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police - Special Victims Investigations Division (SVID) have arrested and charged Maxwell Alexander Bero, age 30, of Gate Rail Road in Clarskburg, with offenses related to his inappropriate sexual contact with a fourteen-year-old female.  The offenses occurred from August 2014 to June 2015, when the female victim was an eighth-grade student and Bero was her teacher at the Col. E. Brooke Lee Middle School in Silver Spring.  The sexual interactions occurred after school hours on school property.

On July 28, 2020, SVID detectives began an investigation into allegations of sexual abuse of the (now 19-year-old) victim by Bero.  Detectives learned that during the 2014-2015 school year, Bero engaged in inappropriate sexual contact and exchanged inappropriate sexual materials and messages with the juvenile victim/student.

Earlier today, August 26, Bero was served with an arrest warrant charging him with offenses to include sexual abuse of a minor and multiple counts of committing a third-degree sexual offense. He was transported to the Central Processing Unit. Bond information is not available at this time.

Detectives are concerned there may be additional victims of Bero and are asking anyone who believes that he/she is a victim to call SVID detectives at 240-773-5400.

Bero's current teaching assignment is at Watkins Mill High School in Gaithersburg.  Bero has been placed on administrative leave by the school system.  Inquiries regarding his employment should be directed to Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS).

# # #

Release ID: 20-317
Media Contact: Rebecca Innocenti 
Categories: sexual-offense