Police: School Janitor Arrested After Student Reports Sexual Relationship

A janitor at DuVal High School in Lanham has been arrested by the Prince George's County Police Department after they received a report that the man was in a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old female student at the school.

The suspect, 36-year-old Steven Ray Poe, a resident of the 9700 block of Good Luck Road, was arrested without incident at his home on Sunday, according to police. 

Poe is charged with third degree sex offense and second degree assault. He is in the custody of the Department of Corrections on a $20,000 bond, according to police. 

School officials are taking this case seriously, according to a Max Pugh, acting communications director for Prince George's County Public Schools. 

According to police, the reported inappropriate sexual relations occurred between April and June 2013. The reported crime was reported to police by the victim's mother. 

"The victim alleges that…Poe had inappropriate sexual contact with her both on and off school grounds," according to a PGPD media release issued on Monday. 

"[Poe] has been placed on administrative leave and we will be conducting an internal investigation after a police investigation is completed," said Pugh in a brief interview on Monday afternoon. 

Pugh declined to release additional details, such as Poe's tenure with the school system. 

"I have been informed that we cannot release the length of employment," wrote Pugh in an email to Patch.

A preliminary hearing has been set for July 5 at the county courthouse in Upper Marlboro. 

Police are asking anyone with information about this case or about Poe to call PGPD's regional investigation division at 301-390-2160. Anonymous tips can be submitted over the phone by calling 1-866-411-TIPS or by sending a text message beginning with "PGPD" followed by a tip to the number 274637 (CRIMES) or by submitting a tip online at the PGPD website.