MCPS music teacher Lawrence Joynes Plea Hearing: Images of children in music room had been photoshopped

Notes from the Baltimore County Circuit Court hearing on February 6, 2014, regarding MCPS music teacher Lawrence Joynes.

Lawrence Joynes shuffled into the Baltimore County courtroom with his head down. When asked for a response from the judge he spoke in a barely audible whisper.  Mr. Joynes stated for the record that he was 55 years old and had a post graduate education.  He said that he was on medication for depression and anxiety. When the judge stated that he was going to be sentenced for time served Mr. Joynes said, "thank you."  

The Baltimore County prosecutor detailed the charge against Mr. Joynes. Here is what the prosecutor had to say about the charges:

She stated that the discovery of the child pornography on Mr. Joynes home computer began with the arrest of Gerald Roberts in South Carolina. While investigating Mr. Robers' contacts federal investigators discovered an e-mail address that was traced back to Baltimore County and Lawrence Joynes.  Photographs of a child in a music classroom had been transmitted from the Baltimore County e-mail to Mr. Roberts in South Carolina.   

In photographs children were seen with a peppermint stick or a finger inserted into their mouths in a music classroom.  The photographs showed a tattooed arm. Detectives were able to trace that arm to Lawrence Joynes.  A warrant was issued and police arrived at Mr. Joynes' home.  As the police arrived, Mr. Joynes attempted to leave by the back door.   

Mr. Joynes told the police officers that he had been at New Hampshire Estates Elementary School for 10 years and that he had been a teacher for 27 years.
The prosecutor stated that detectives found images and a video on Mr. Joynes' home computer.  The video showed a child performing oral sex on an adult male.  The images showed clothed children in various stages of sexual poses.  Some of the images of children in a music classroom had been photoshopped to simulate the performance of oral sex. The video found on Mr. Joynes' computer qualified as child pornography and that was the charge that was the subject of today's plea deal in Baltimore County Circuit Court. 

The prosecutor stated that the State was asking for time served as the sentence for the one count of child pornography before the court today. The prosecutor stated that Montgomery County had begun their own investigation after Mr. Joynes' arrest and that Mr. Joynes was now charged with numerous counts in Montgomery County.  Montgomery Count could not proceed with their charges until Mr. Joynes was released from Baltimore County.  The prosecutor stated that upon his release from the Baltimore County charges Mr. Joynes "will not see streets" but will go directly to Montgomery County.   

Follow the Montgomery County proceedings regarding this MCPS teacher at this link.