A twisted Maryland “Teacher of the Year” was thrown behind bars for allegedly grooming a 15-year-old boy for weeks before trying to have sex with him, police said.
Dennis Jutras, 61, was arrested Thursday at a local park while trying to meet up with the boy after sending explicit photos and disturbing messages to an undercover detective posing as a teen during an online sting targeting child predators, according to the Harford County Sheriff’s Office.
The sickening chats between the Baltimore City Public Schools administrator and the decoy allegedly went on for two weeks.
Police said Jutras contacted the undercover agent he believed was a teenage boy on social media on May 7 — and quickly revealed he was a longtime teacher at Baltimore Polytechnic Institute before being promoted within the district.
The deranged suspect allegedly initiated sexually charged and intimate conversations before flooding the exchange with lewd images.
The fictitious teen arranged a meeting with Jutras at a Harford County park, where he was taken into custody after arriving at the location, police said.
Jutras, who has been employed within the school district for nearly 27 years, was named Baltimore’s “Teacher of the Year” in 2005 while working as a social studies teacher at Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, according to a news release that hailed him as a “standout” educator.
The warped educator is currently a coordinator of Advanced Learning for Pre-K through 12th grade, a position he’s held since 2013, according to his LinkedIn.
He has since been placed on administrative leave, Baltimore City Schools announced Tuesday.
“While Mr. Jutras worked in a role where he worked with schools and students as part of our Gifted and Advanced Learning program, we are not aware of any impact on City School students,” officials urged in a statement, encouraging anyone with information about the investigation to contact the sheriff’s office. “Baltimore City Public Schools places the health and safety of students among its highest priorities.”
Jutras is currently being held without bail at the Harford County Detention Center.
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