Carroll teacher charged in online sex sting in Virginia

Police in Maryland and Virginia are looking for other potential victims after the arrest this week of a former Carroll County Teacher of the Year who has been charged in Virginia with seeking sex online with minors. Kenneth Brian Fischer, 39, of the 800 block of Amherst Lane in Westminster was arrested Wednesday evening at his home, where electronic and digital data storage devices were seized, according to a news release from Maryland State Police, who assisted in the investigation. Fischer, a teacher at West Middle School, has been charged in Virginia on four counts of solicitation of a minor. He was immediately suspended without pay, school officials said. He was being held without bond Thursday at the Carroll County Detention Center, awaiting an extradition hearing, according to electronic court records. Fischer’s attorney, Robert N. Smith III, of Westminster, said any comments regarding the case would come within the confines of the courtroom. He did say he was “disappointed” at some statements attributed to law enforcement. “Although we understand the concern of the citizens for any children, we are nonetheless disappointed that the police have apparently chosen to litigate this in the press,” Smith said Thursday night. Jon O’Neal, an assistant superintendent with Carroll County’s schools, said no current local students or staff members had come to the administration with complaints about Fischer. When asked if there were complaints from former students or staff, O’Neal said he could not comment on personnel matters. According to Fairfax County police, a detective posing as a 14-yearold boy was contacted online last month by a man, later identified as Fischer. Fischer sent sexually explicit images to the detective, police said. During the investigation, detectives became aware of other possible victims in Northern Virginia and Maryland, according to Fairfax County police. Fischer began his career with Carroll County schools in 2000 as a teacher at North Carroll High School, then worked at Winters Mill High School from 2002 to 2007. In 2006, he was named the Carroll County Public Schools Teacher of the Year. He moved into administration, then later returned to the classroom. Anyone with information is asked to contact Fairfax police at 703-246-7800 or 703-6912131, or Maryland State Police at 410-953-8271. Fischer