Maryland Suburban Swim Club Owner to Plead Guilty to Child Abuse

The founder of Maryland Suburban Swim Club, who faced three sexual abuse charges for repeated sexual acts with a child, plans to plead guilty to one felony charge.

The Washington Post reports that Christopher Thomas Huott, 53, Fulton, has agreed to plead guilty to a single felony child abuse charge. In exchange, prosecutors will recommend Huott face a maximum sentence of ten years in prison, Montgomery County court filings show.

In March 2014, detectives were contacted by a woman who said Huott had sexually molested her on numerous occasions while she was a minor in his care, Patch earlier reported. Huott was the victim’s swim coach when the incidents occurred in Montgomery County in the 1980s.

He was charged in April with three counts of committing a third-degree sex offense, one count of committing a second-degree sex offense, and one count of child abuse.

Huott intends to formally plead guilty July 30 to felony child abuse and admit that he abused the girl starting in 1984, when she would have been six or seven years old, the Post reports. Huott was the girl’s swim coach and babysitter and abused her until about 1989, authorities allege.

Because of Huott’s position with the Laurel swim club and his access to children, detectives were concerned that there may be additional victims.

The charge to which he intends to plead guilty involves only one victim. Police told the Post that detectives are not aware of any others.