Three employees at a private special education school in Frederick County, Maryland, were arrested Wednesday on child abuse and sexual assault charges.
A grand jury indicted 35-year-old Jermaine Thomas, 27-year-old Ariel Eppard and 32-year-old Wesley Dean in late August.
They worked at The Jefferson School, a day school and residential treatment center for students with emotional and behavioral disabilities.
Frederick County prosecutors say the suspects abused a 17-year-old girl and an 18-year-old woman who were students at the school.
A spokesperson for the school said administrators took immediate action and notified police and Child Protective Services when they heard of allegations against the employees.
Thomas was charged with three counts of sex abuse of a minor and seven counts of child pornography/filming a sex act.
Eppard faces two counts of sex abuse of a minor, two counts of fourth-degree sex offense (person in position of authority) and two counts of a court-ordered provider engaging in a sex act.
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Dean was charged with sex abuse of a minor, fourth-degree sex offense (person in position of authority) and two counts of court-ordered provider engaging in a sex act.
Dean, Eppard and Thomas were placed on leave and later fired, the spokesperson for the school said.
