A former Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) teacher pleaded guilty Friday to sexually abusing multiple students at Cloverly Elementary School.
John Vigna, who started teaching at the school in 1991, pleaded to one count of sexual child abuse and three counts of sexual abuse of a minor. He was accused of inappropriately touching several female students at Cloverly between 2001 and 2016.
Vigna was convicted in 2017 on nine counts related to four victims. However, his conviction was overturned in 2023 while he was serving a 48 years-long prison sentence. The Montgomery County Circuit Court tossed out his conviction when his new lawyers argued that Vigna had “ineffective assistance of counsel”.
The former teacher has served over six years in prison related to these child sexual abuse cases.
The state, in the plea deal, is asking for a 30-year suspended prison sentence with probation. So, if Vigna violates probation he will face 23 years in prison.
Vigna will also have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.
The guilty plea prevents further trauma to victims by not forcing this case back to trial, State’s Attorney Public Affairs Director Lauren DeMarco wrote in a release. The victims participated in the initial trial and supported the plea agreement, according to DeMarco.
“The defendant’s admission of guilt following nearly a decade of denial is vindication for the victims and the community,” State’s Attorney John McCarthy said.
