Crime & Safety

September Trial Expected For Bel Air Classroom Helper Charged With Sex Abuse

Anthony Leon Farris Jr. is scheduled to go to trial on charges of sex abuse on Sept. 11, 2013.

One month after his lawyer said a plea agreement was "99.9 percent" likely, the former Harford County Public Schools employee accused of having a sexual relationship with a teenage girl was back in court.

No plea agreement had been reached as of Monday and a jury trial in the case is scheduled to take place Sept. 11 in Harford County Circuit Court.

Anthony Leon Farris Jr., 24, of the 1000 block of Pirates Court in Edgewood is charged with sex abuse of a minor and three counts of fourth-degree sex offense, according to online court records.

The charges stem from an alleged sexual relationship with a 16-year-old female student, according to a release issued by the Bel Air Police Department at the time of his arrest. Farris allegedly used his office at Bel Air High School to engage in sexual activity with the girl, an abc2news.com story states.

When Farris appeared in court last month to request a trial postponement, his lawyer, Michael Schaech, told Harford County Circuit Court judge Angela Eaves that Farris would likely accept a plea agreement.

"I am 99.9 percent sure that given the time, this case will work itself out," Schaech said at the time.

As of this week, however, a Sept. 11 trial was scheduled to move forward and no plea agreement had been reached, Schaech told Patch.

Farris appeared in court Monday for a suppression hearing in the case.

Schaech said he argued Farris had asked for legal counsel while being interviewed which should make his statements inadmissible. Circuit Court Judge Thomas Marshall denied Schaech's motion to suppress the evidence.

Assistant State's Attorney Lisa Marts told the court in July that the victim is prepared to testify should the case go to trial.

Farris was employed as a classroom helper working with handicapped students at Bel Air High School, but was placed on administrative leave in January when allegations of sexual misconduct were first made against him, according to Teri Kranefeld, manager of communications with the school system.

He was let go after charges were filed, Kranefeld wrote in an email to Patch.

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