Substitute teacher in Frederick Co. charged with child sex crimes

FREDERICK, Md. — A substitute teacher with Frederick County Public Schools is facing several charges for possession of child pornography.

Daniel Patrick Vandervossen is charged with 11 counts of possession of child porn in connection with this case.

In September, detectives began an investigation involving Internet Crimes Against Children and a suspect was identified as Vandervossen. 

During an investigation, detectives got a search and seizure warrant for his home and car.

On Oct. 16, police executed these search and seizure warrants, and collected several pieces of evidence against Vandervossen.

He was then taken into custody at the Frederick Count Adult Detention Center and processed. Vandervossen was seen by the district court commissioner and released on an unsecured $5,000 personal bond.

FCPS released a statement in response to the arrest. School officials say Vandervossen was employed at several elementary schools, most recently since September 2023.

The letter reads as follows:

Dear FCPS Community,

We want to inform you about a serious situation that has recently come to our attention involving one of our substitute teachers.

We were notified on Friday, October 4th, by the City of Frederick Police Department that a substitute teacher employed by us is under investigation for possession of child pornography.

Upon learning of this matter, the individual was immediately placed on unpaid leave and removed from our substitute roster. This individual was arrested yesterday afternoon and has been charged. Frederick Police Arrest Child Pornography Suspect.

In the arrest notice last night, it did not indicate he was an FCPS substitute teacher, however his image and name may be familiar to the school communities in which he worked. 

We understand that this news is concerning and may raise questions for you. This substitute teacher has worked for FCPS, most recently since September 2023 at several of our elementary schools. At the time of his hire, there were no flags raised through fingerprinting or background check procedures.

All substitute teachers must pass fingerprinting and background checks prior to working in our schools with students. However, when issues arise during the time of employment, we respond swiftly. Out of an abundance of caution, and given the number of schools in which he had substitute assignments, we are sharing this information broadly to support our law enforcement partners in their investigation. 

We are committed to the safety and well-being of our students and will continue to cooperate fully with law enforcement during this investigation. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this matter, we encourage you to reach out directly to the Frederick City Police Department by calling 301-600-2101 or clicking on this link: https://www.cityoffrederickmd.gov/99/Frederick-Police-Department