A former middle school teacher who repeatedly sexually abused a 14-year-old student in Maryland has been sentenced to three decades in prison, but she’ll only serve one year, a judge ruled.

Melissa Marie Curtis, 32, pleaded guilty to three counts of a third-degree sex offense on June 20, according to information from the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office and District Court of Maryland court papers obtained by USA TODAY on Wednesday.

The Montgomery County Police Department initiated an investigation in early October 2023 when the eighth-grade victim, now an adult, reported he was sexually abused by Curtis who was a teacher at Montgomery Village Middle School, according to a previous news release from the agency.

At the time of the offenses, detectives reported, the student was 14 years old and Curtis was 22.

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Judge: Teacher to serve 12 months in jail

Curtis, who is from the town of Upper Marlboro in Prince George’s County, was sentenced to 30 years in prison on Friday, a spokesperson for the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office told USA TODAY Wednesday.

But Montgomery County Circuit Court Judge Theresa Chernosky suspended most of Curtis’ sentence, allowing her to serve 12 months year in jail followed by five years of supervised probation, the spokesperson said.

When she is released, Curtis must register as a sex offender, the spokesperson said, and will not be permitted to have unsupervised contact with minors other than her children.

The prosecutors office did not respond to a request for comment about the sentencing.

Teacher abused 14-year-old in classroom, car, at home

The victim told detectives the abuse began in 2015, the spokesperson said, when he volunteered for an after-school program that Curtis was running and “they were often alone together”

Charging documents show the victim told detectives Curtis sexually abused him in a classroom, in a car, at his home, and as well as Curtis’ home “more than 20 times” when he was in middle school. The complaint goes onto say Curtis also gave the boy drugs and alcohol multiple times.

A warrant for Curtis’s arrest was obtained on Oct. 31, 2023 and Curtis turned herself in on Nov. 7, 2023, officials reported.

At the time, Curtis had been a teacher for about two years in Montgomery County and taught at Lakelands Park Middle School as well.

A spokesperson told Fox 5 Curtis left Montgomery County Public Schools in 2017.

USA TODAY has reached out to Montgomery County Public Schools.

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.

As a lifelong Marylander, this state has profoundly shaped my identity and beliefs. Though the election results were disappointing, I remain proud to call Maryland home. Vice President Kamala Harris won Maryland decisively, breaking barriers everywhere. Marylanders supported her vision for unity, compassion and progress — a testament to our values.

I was born and raised in West Baltimore, where I attended Gwynns Falls Elementary and Lemmel Junior High. I later attended Frederick Douglass High, transferring from the nearly all-white Western High. Douglass brought me closer to my community, where I found strength and solidarity. Morgan State University further shaped me, leading to a teaching career in Baltimore. These schools nurtured my potential and strengthened my values.

For over 50 years, I have been married to the love of my life, sharing a journey and raising our family here. This election reminded me why I love Maryland, with our visible and impactful Black leadership. Our governor, attorney general and senator-elect exemplify diversity. This same goes for our mayor, speaker of the State House, and other officials, including the CEO of Baltimore City Schools.

Still, many in Maryland do not embrace true diversity and inclusion. We face struggles in Baltimore , and we remain a work in progress statewide. Maryland’s push for freedom and progress are personal to me as the CEO of the AFRO, Maryland’s oldest Black-owned business.

Founded by my great-grandfather John H. Murphy Sr. in 1892, the AFRO has long been a voice for justice and equality. My grandparents were also civil rights leaders. Carl Murphy, a Spingarn Medal recipient, was publisher of the AFRO from 1922 to 1967. Vashti Turley Murphy co-founded Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., an organization devoted to sisterhood, scholarship and service. My paternal grandfather, Dr. Francis Marion Wood, was Baltimore’s first director of Baltimore City Colored Schools. Their legacies underscore the need for perseverance, courage and faith.

Kamala Harris’ campaign reflected the dreams of many Marylanders. I am grateful to live somewhere that embodies the values I hold dear. In that, I find unshakeable pride, and I will always be proud to be a Marylander.

Frances Murphy Draper is president and CEO of AFRO American Newspapers.