UPPER MARLBORO, Md. — An elementary school teacher in Prince Geroge’s County will remain in police custody after he was charged with nearly a dozen sex abuse crimes.
Mark Cobb, 44, waived his bond hearing Wednesday afternoon. He will stay in jail and be held without bond.
Cobb faces 11 charges, including nine misdemeanors for possessing child pornography and two felony charges of sex abuse of a minor. The felony charges alone could carry up to 25 years in prison if he is convicted.
Cobb’s accused of exchanging sexually explicit text messages with a girl he allegedly taught in second and third grade at Cooper Lane Elementary School in Landover Hills. Investigators say Cobb had texted the victim from June 2023 to August 2024.
“I just can’t imagine how sick a person has to be to have this type of conversation, a very sexually explicit conversation, with a 9-year-old ... it’s outrageous," said Prince Geroge's County State's Attorney, Aisha Braveboy. "The facts of every case are heartbreaking. This one is beyond what anyone could imagine, but our job is to get justice and that’s what we’re going to do.”
Police also say, during a search of Cobb's Bowie apartment, investigators found child pornography on several electronic devices and a bag with several pairs of children’s underwear.
Authorities say the victim recently spoke up about the alleged relationship with Cobb.
“A 9-year-old student reported to her mother that he had asked her for naked pictures and when confronted with that, he admitted he had done that," said Ellen Opdyke, Assistant Chief with the Special Victims Unit. "During a search warrant at his home, police found hundreds of files of child sexual abuse material, also known as child pornography, and he has been charged with that.”
The State’s Attorney’s Office says the investigation into Cobb continues and more charges could be coming.
"It’s very important that the public is aware of this case, because we know there are other victims out there," said Braveboy who claims other children were depicted in the files found in Cobb's home. "Sometimes we think there might be other victims. In this case we know there are other victims out there."
The State's Attorney's Office is asking any other victims in this case to reach out to Prince George's County Police.
“These are individuals who are in positions of trust, so she had a right to trust her teacher," Braveboy added. "Those teachers and those who are preying upon children, they are grooming children for their own, personal, sick desires."