A former middle school teacher at the Gilman School will continue to be held without bail as he awaits trial on charges including sexual abuse of a minor, rape and perverted practice and related offenses, a Baltimore County judge ruled on Monday.

District Judge Karen Pilarski made that determination at a bail review hearing for Chris Bendann, 38, of Towson, who taught social studies at the private, independent all-boys school in Roland Park in Baltimore from 2007-2023, according to his LinkedIn page. He’s accused of sexually abusing a teen between 2016-2019.

“The alarming and systemic abuse of children cannot go unknown,” Pilarski said. “I find him to be a public safety threat.”

In a letter to the school community dated Jan. 20, Gilman School Head of School Henry P.A. Smyth wrote that it fired Bendann after recently learning of several reports of “inappropriate, out-of-school conduct with students.”

On Feb. 3, police executed a search and seizure warrant at the former Gilman School teacher's home in the Rodgers Forge community in Towson and arrest him on charges including sexual abuse of a minor, rape and perverted practice.

...This story continues. Read the rest at The Baltimore Banner: Ex-Gilman School teacher to be held without bail on sexual abuse, rape charges

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