Former Teacher Arrested for Cocaine Distribution

[Howard Hartman]

	DEPARTMENT OF POLICE MEDIA SERVICES DIVISION 2350 RESEARCH BOULEVARD ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND 20850-3294
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 26, 2008	FOR MORE INFORMATION:                         Media Services Division, 240-773-5030

Former Teacher Arrested for Cocaine Distribution

Detectives from the Montgomery County Police Family Crimes Division are investigating reports received involving a former Montgomery County Public School teacher distributing cocaine to students on more than one occasion from her residence in the 1000 block of Brice Road in Rockville.

On August 19, 2008, detectives in the Family Crimes Division were contacted by Child Protective Services and informed that Theresa Cunningham Duarte, age 44, of the above address, had provided illegal drugs to students of Thomas S. Wootton High School in Rockville.

On August 25, 2008, detectives arrested Duarte and charged her with two counts of distribution of a Controlled Dangerous Substance (CDS) schedule II (cocaine) and two counts of Contributing to Conditions of a Child.

Duarte was released from the Montgomery County Detention Center in Rockville after payment of a $150,000 bond.

Duarte was a substitute teacher at Einstein High School in Kensington during the 2003-2004 school year. She was hired full time at Wootton High School in Rockville in July of 2004. Duarte resigned for unknown reasons from Wootton High School at the end of the 2007-2008 school year, prior to the start of this investigation. However, there are concerns that there may have been additional students who received CDS from Duarte. Anyone with information about this crime is asked to contact Family Crimes Detective K. Carvajal at 240-773-5400.

Theresa Cunningham Duarte