A Maryland music teacher has been arrested and accused of inappropriately touching two 7-year-old girls during private lessons at an academy in Chevy Chase, Montgomery County police said.
Priyant Sundas, 30, of Rockville, is accused of inappropriately touching two students during private lessons at Chevy Chase Arts Academy in October, police said. Sundas' lawyer denied the allegations.
The victims told their parents about the abuse, court documents said. Sundas allegedly had inappropriate contact with one of them on two different occasions in October, court documents said.
Authorities believe there may be more victims.
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Sundas, 30, was detained Sunday under a U.S. Customs and Border Protection warrant at JFK International Airport as he tried to flee the country, police said.
He had been employed by the academy since October, authorities said. Previously, he had worked as a music teacher in Northern Virginia.
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Sundas faces two counts of sexual abuse of a minor and six counts of third-degree sex offenses.
In a statement, an attorney for the suspect said Sundas and his family are distraught by the allegations and called on the academy to “release all video of student lessons taught by Mr. Sundas.”
"These allegations will be defended fully in court," the lawyer said.
He said Sundas had attended Berklee School of Music in Boston on a scholarship and was in the U.S. under a special visa.
The investigation is ongoing. Anyone who believes they, or their children, may have been victims is asked to call the police at 240-773-5400.
