Booking photo released of Howard County teacher arrested on child pornography charges
BALTIMORE -- Howard County Police on Friday released the mugshot of Lawrence Costella, a Howard County high school teacher arrested on child pornography charges.
Costella, a special education teacher at Atholton High School, was arrested Aug. 31 in Baltimore County, Principal Robert Motley said in a letter to the school community.
Costella was denied bail at a bond review Thursday in Baltimore County District Court. He's being held pending trial.
The 32-year-old is charged with three counts each of possession of child pornography and distribution of child pornography, according to court records.
Charging documents accuse Costella of sharing multiple images of prepubescent boys and girls displaying "graphic hardcore sexual abuse." Costella told investigators he had to share the content in a chat room to get the material he wanted.
He lives in Reisterstown, the records say. School officials said he was arrested in Baltimore County.
Detectives do not suspect Costella had any inappropriate contact with minors, Baltimore County Police said.
Costella has now been placed on administrative leave and is barred from school grounds, pending an investigation. He was in his second year at the school, officials said.
All HCPS teachers undergo a criminal background check, fingerprinting and reference check when they are hired, school officials said.
"Our parents entrust us to keep our children safe, and that responsibility is our top priority," Howard County Public Schools Superintendent Michael Martirano said in a statement last week. "Though it's important to allow the legal process to play out, I am extremely disturbed as a result of learning of these charges.
Baltimore County Public Schools officials confirmed Thursday that Costella had been a teacher at Dundalk High School from 2015-2021. An online newsletter listed Costella as a girls soccer coach in 2016.