Teacher Acquitted of Sex Abuse

Defendant Weeps After Jury Rejects Teenager's Allegations

A 41-year-old D.C. public school teacher accused of having sex with a 13-year-old student was acquitted of all charges yesterday.

Ricardo Roberts, who coached basketball and taught social studies at J.H. Johnson Junior High School, had been held without bail since December when he was arrested on 11 counts. During his incarceration, Roberts's wife gave birth to a son, now 2 months old. As the jury's verdict was read in D.C. Superior Court, Roberts was overcome with emotion.

"He immediately began crying," defense attorney Michael Starr said. "Mr. Roberts has always maintained his innocence. This verdict is vindication for him. The allegations were not credible, and there was no physical evidence to corroborate them."

Prosecutors alleged that Roberts had sex with the teenager in a classroom at the school in Southeast Washington and at his home in Alexandria. A witness, in December, reported seeing the girl emerge from a classroom where Roberts was seen changing clothes -- leading to a police investigation, authorities said.

When the girl was first interviewed Dec. 19, she denied having sex with Roberts but acknowledged that, because of her reputation for promiscuity, there were rumors that the two had been intimate, authorities said. Roberts, a teacher in D.C. schools for 15 years, acknowledged the rumors as well but maintained that they were untrue, according to charging documents filed in the case.

The girl's mother brought her back for more questioning Dec. 20. In that interview, the girl said she had lied the day before to protect "Coach Rob," who had been her volleyball coach and homeroom teacher a year earlier. She said the two had sex several times, including two days earlier, at Roberts's home in Alexandria.

Prosecutors said they still believe that is true.

"While we believe there was more than sufficient evidence to convict, we respect the jury's verdict," said Channing Phillips, a spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office.

Roberts was suspended from his job. Starr said his client, who was scheduled to be released last night, had not discussed whether he would try to get his job back.