A Baltimore County judge Tuesday sentenced a high school teacher to one year of probation after he pleaded guilty to assaulting a 16-year-old girl in his classroom.
Christian Liverman, 31, of Towson, admitted to assaulting the girl last school year at Chesapeake High School in Baltimore County. Circuit Judge John Turnbull II struck Liverman?s conviction ? and sentenced him to probation before judgment. Prosecutors dropped more serious child abuse and perverted practice charges.
Liverman?s attorney, Alan Bussard, argued for the lenient sentence because his client is a first-time offender.
“The effect of this case has taken him out of the teaching business,” Bussard said.
Liverman may have no contact with the victim, the judge also ruled.
“The victim wasn?t a student of the defendant,” said Baltimore County Assistant State?s Attorney Susan Hazlett, who prosecuted the case. “But she spent time in his classroom. There was sexual contact the two engaged in without her consent.”
Hazlett made no recommendation to the judge regarding Liverman?s sentence.
Liverman and the student occasionally e-mailed and chatted on the Internet ? and the student told police she and Liverman engaged in sexual acts in his classroom, according to charging documents.
On two occasions, police said, Liverman pulled down the window shades and closed the door, while he hugged and kissed the girl, and engaged in other sexual acts.
Police said they began investigating Liverman?s behavior with the student after rumors about the activity swirled through the high school?s halls.
The girl was not called to testify during Liverman?s guilty plea or his sentencing.
When asked by the judge if he had anything to say, the former teacher remained silent.
