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Davon Natrell Stewart, 22, who was tasked with keeping students safe, was convicted following late last year following a two-day bench trial of sexual abuse of a minor after he was caught with a 15-year-old from Chopticon High School, where he worked.
"(Stewart) abused his position of trust by using his authority to commit a sex offense on a child who was a student in the school he was supposed to serve and protect,” St. Mary's County State's Attorney Jaymi Sterling said.
“The exploitation of his position is deplorable—especially in a school, a place where children should always feel safe to grow and learn.”
On July 24, Sterling announced that Stewart has been sentenced to 15 years in prison, with five years to serve, despite prosecutors pushing for a more strict punishment.
"Although the Maryland Sentencing Guideline range calls for a sentence between five and 10 years in prison, the State requested the Court to go above the guideline range," they said.
"The State advocated for a sentence of 25 years, which is the maximum sentence for this offense, with 15 years of active incarceration to serve."
Prosecutors said that Stewart, while employed as a Safety and Security assistant at the school, inappropriately touched the child on at least one occasion.
His undoing came when Stewart was caught meeting with the girl outside of school, where there was reported sexual contact between the two.
Stewart was arrested in June last year and later indicted in St. Mary's County Court on the sexual abuse charge. He has been held at the County Detention and Rehabilitation Center in Leonardtown since his indictment.
"The remarkable courage and bravery of this young survivor throughout the investigation and trial means that Stewart will finally be held accountable for his actions," Sterling previously said. "Schools should be a safe space for our children, without anxiety or fear of abuse.
"(His) use of his position to exploit a minor child and violate that safe space is especially heinous. I'm hopeful that the conviction in this case will allow the victim and victim's family the ability to begin healing from his actions and deliver a sense of justice."
In addition to his time in prison, a judge also ordered that Stewart register as a sex offender for life wherever he lives, works, or studies.
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