Convicted of Trespass

PRESS RELEASE

Teacher Convicted of Trespass after Asking for Help Locating Pedophile

Rockville, Maryland; May 22, 2013 – A teacher who asked Montrose Christian School for help locating a pedophile was convicted of trespass and sentenced to two days in jail. 

In March, Maurice L. Douglas, a pedophile teacher who was convicted of abusing children ten years ago, said on Facebook that he was back in education.  A former colleague, John Cavanaugh-O’Keefe, began searching for him.  After six weeks of search, he visited Montrose Christian School in Rockville, where the last recorded assaults occurred, to ask for help.  The headmaster and pastor, Ken Fentress, refused, and demanded that O’Keefe leave.  Citing the danger to children, O’Keefe pressed for prompt action.  The pastor’s wife, Linda Fentress, said the school had no information about events ten years ago, and called the police.  O’Keefe was arrested, and charged with trespass.

In court, O’Keefe offered a necessity defense: “I had a reasonable belief that a child was in danger, later confirmed.  I had exhausted legal means to protect the child.  Two options remained, as far as I could see: one was slow while a child was in danger, and the other involved Montrose.  So I did everything I could to persuade them to act.”

District Court Judge Jeannie Eun Kyung Cho said that the necessity defense was like the duress defense, and that the duress defense does not apply.  She found O’Keefe guilty, and sentenced him to two days in jail.

O’Keefe taught English at Montrose for five years, 2001-06.  The 2005 yearbook was dedicated to him.  He preached several times at Montrose Baptist Church.  He is a pro-life activist; recently, he published two books on immigration.

For more, contact: John Cavanaugh-O’Keefe, 6510 Damascus Rd, Laytonsville, MD 20882. 301-922-4284. cavanaughokeefe@gmail.com.

[For more background, see www.protectachildin DC.blogspot.com.  Among the PAGES, see the summary.]