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Montgomery County teacher formerly in jail pleads guilty to child sex abuse crimes

John Vigna's original conviction was previously vacated and he was released on bond pending a new trial.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. — John Vigna, a former Montgomery County Public Schools teacher, pleaded guilty to child sex abuse crimes on Friday. 

He pleaded guilty to one count of sexual child abuse and three counts of sexual abuse of a minor for crimes he committed against multiple students at Cloverly Elementary School between 2001 and 2016.

A sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 7, where prosecutors say they will request a 30-year suspended sentence with supervised probation. Conditions will include no unsupervised contact with minors, and Vigna will be required to register as a sex offender, which will stand for the rest of his life. 

Vigna was convicted back in 2017 on charges of sexually abusing female students. He was sentenced to 48 years in prison, but in July 2023, his conviction was vacated and he was released on bond pending a new trial. 

He had been teaching at the elementary school since October 1991 and taught third, fourth and fifth graders. At least five students reported that they had been touched inappropriately while sitting on his lap. 

According to Montgomery County State's Attorney John McCarthy, Vigna had been reprimanded twice for his behavior in 2008. He said the school system then conducted two separate interventions with him in 2013 and 2015.

RELATED: Montgomery County teacher convicted of sexually abusing students for 15 years faces new charges

RELATED: 3 Md. school staffers arrested on sex-related charges in 21 months

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