A Gaithersburg man was found criminally responsible for sexually abusing four females with special needs while he was a bus driver for Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS).
A jury found Etienne Kabongo, 67, criminally responsible Thursday in Montgomery County Circuit Court, according to the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office (MCSAO).
He pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree rape and two counts of sexual abuse of a minor for abusing the victims who rode the bus he drove, per MCSAO.
Kabongo had claimed that due to an alleged mental disorder, he was not criminally responsible, but the jury decided otherwise. He faces up to 40 years in prison and sentencing is set for March 30.
He was arrested in August 2018. At the time, the Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD) said he sexually assaulted a 12-year-old girl and the school bus camera captured video of the assault.
Police investigation found bus surveillance footage of multiple incidents with three additional victims, MCSAO said. At the time of the abuse, two girls were minors and two were 18-years-old.
“Etienne Kabongo was entrusted with the safety of some of the most vulnerable members of our community and he violated that trust, using his position to sexually abuse the nonverbal students for which he was responsible,” Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy said in a written statement Thursday. “Thank you to Assistant State’s Attorney Brian Rubinstein for his work in holding this defendant accountable. We are grateful that justice has prevailed and hope it provides some comfort for the victims and their families.”
After Kabongo was arrested in 2018, former MCPS Superintendent Dr. Jack Smith said words could not convey his “anger, disgust and disappointment.” He said Kabongo would not be returning to MCPS.
The Montgomery County Council issued a statement at the time, condemning sexual abuse and harassment.
“Our hearts ache for the student, who endured this horrific act of sexual violence, and her family,” part of the statement reads.
