A fifth student has come forward to accuse a Howard County teacher of sexual abuse, according to a new grand jury indictment.
A Howard County grand jury on Wednesday indicted Alan Meade Beier, 52, of Columbia, on charges of sexual abuse against three students ? including one previously unreported by police.
The indictment alleges Beier abused a male student at River Hill High School on April 1, 2006, and April 26, 2006.
Beier had “temporary care and responsibility” for the victim, according to the indictment, which charges the teacher with sexual abuse of a minor and second-degree assault.
He did not return a phone call seeking comment.
The grand jury also indicted Beier with the sexual abuse of twostudents reported by Howard County police last month.
Beier told a 16-year-old male student to come to River Hill High School around 6 p.m. on Jan. 8 and took photos of the boy undressing, police said.
Detectives served a search warrant at Beier?s home Jan. 9 and recovered photos of the boy that matched those described to police.
Police also said a 17-year-old female student reported Beier fondled her during class on two occasions last year.
In separate indictments, the grand jury charged Beier with three counts of sexual abuse of minors, three counts of fourth degree sex offenses and three counts of second-degree assault for those two incidents.
In a separate case involving a different Howard County school last month, police charged Glenelg High School teacher Joseph Samuel Ellis, 25, of Elkridge, after two girls, 16 and 17, told officers that he sent the students inappropriate text messages, exposed himself and touched them on separate occasions.
On Wednesday, the grand jury indicted Ellis on charges of sexual abuse of a minor; two counts of fourth-degree sex offense; indecent exposure; display of obscene material to a minor, and telephone misuse.
Both teachers were released on bond following their arrests last month.
Police say the two incidents are unrelated and not indicative of a trend in the county.
