WASHINGTON 鈥� A Prince George鈥檚 County high school track coach has been arrested and accused of having what the police chief called an “extraordinarily inappropriate” relationship with a 16-year-old athlete.
The Prince George鈥檚 County police said Wednesday afternoon that Charles Wolford, 23, of Hyattsville, Maryland, was arrested and charged with sexual abuse of a minor, second-degree assault and fourth-degree sex offense by a person in position of authority.
Wolford is a track coach at Fairmont Heights High School, in Hyattsville, and a teacher鈥檚 assistant at Gladys N. Spellman Elementary School, in Cheverly.聽He has been a school employee for about four and a half years, Prince George’s County Police Chief Hank Stawinski said, and has no prior criminal record.
Stawinski said the police acted quickly once they and the school department received a report from a parent.
鈥淭he events that led to criminal charges occurred within the last seven days,鈥� he said, and Wolford was arrested within 24 hours of the police and the school system receiving a report about the accusations. “This is not a long, drawn-out process,鈥� the chief said.
There is no reason yet to believe that there are more victims, Stawinski said, but if any parents had concerns about any other inappropriate relationships, they should call the police at 301-772-4908.
鈥淏e nosy about what your children are doing鈥� on smartphones and social media, Stawinski said.
In a letter to parents, Fairmont Heights Principal Torrie Walker said, 鈥淲e have cooperated fully with law enforcement in its investigation. Due to the nature of the claims, Prince George鈥檚 County Public Schools CEO Kevin Maxwell has recommended termination of Mr. Wolford鈥檚 employment. Behavior that brings harm to a student will not be tolerated.鈥�
