Crime & Safety
Gaithersburg Singing Coach Found Guilty of Sexually Abusing Male Student
Timothy M. Ballard, 48, was tried for sexually abusing a 13-year-old client.
A Gaithersburg vocal coach who was retried on child sex abuse charges this week was found guilty and now faces 25 years in prison for the conviction, the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s office announced Friday.
Timothy M. Ballard, 48, is expected to be sentenced Dec. 5. The State’s Attorney’s Office is looking for other possible victims.
"Parents trust teachers and coaches. This defendant abused the trust of parents,” said Ramon Korionoff, a spokesman for the state’s attorney’s office, in a news release. “He sexually abused a 13 year-old-boy and that is not acceptable."
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According to court records, Ballard was hired by the boy’s parents for vocal training. Ballard had been working with the boy for seven years.
The abuse happened in 2008 in the basement of Ballard’s home when the boy was in eighth grade and reportedly questioning his own sexual identity.
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The vocal coach reportedly told the boy he could help him “figure out who he was,” according to court documents.
Ballard was tried on these claims in earlier this year, but the jury was unable to return a verdict, forcing Montgomery County Circuit Judge Michael D. Mason to declare a mistrial in April, The Gazette reported.Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.