COLLEGE PARK, MD – A 70-year-old high school teacher in Prince George’s County has been charged with multiple child pornography offenses, according to Maryland State Police. Investigators say Donald Kirk Marchand III, of College Park, was arrested shortly before 8 a.m. Wednesday and later taken to the Prince George’s County Department of Corrections.
State police said Marchand was awaiting a bail review after the arrest. The case stems from an investigation that began earlier this month into the distribution and possession of child pornography. Authorities have not said how the alleged material was first identified or what specific evidence led to the charges.
Task force investigation led to an early morning arrest
The Maryland Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force opened the investigation earlier this month, focusing on suspected distribution and possession of child pornography. From there, the case moved to Maryland State Police Child Exploitation Unit investigators, who carried out the arrest on Wednesday morning.
Police said the arrest happened before 8 a.m., but they did not release additional details about the location of the arrest itself beyond the later detention at county corrections. The charges include several counts tied to both distribution and possession, indicating investigators believe the case involved more than one alleged incident or file.
Law enforcement agencies often work these cases with multiple partners, and this one included support from Homeland Security Investigations and Prince George’s County police. Officials have not said whether additional arrests or charges are expected.
Search warrant executed at College Park home
On Wednesday morning, officers served a search warrant at Marchand’s College Park home. Maryland State Police said multiple pieces of evidence were seized during that search.
Authorities did not describe the items recovered, saying only that evidence was taken as part of the investigation. Search warrants in child exploitation cases can lead investigators to electronic devices, storage media, and other records, but police did not specify what they found here.
The warrant operation involved the Child Exploitation Unit, Homeland Security Investigations and Prince George’s County police. Officials have not said whether the evidence seized has already been analyzed or whether it will be introduced in court.
Police say Marchand taught at Elizabeth Seton High School
Investigators said Marchand works as a teacher at Elizabeth Seton High School in Bladensburg. Maryland State Police also said he previously taught at other schools, though they did not name those institutions.
The school’s connection to the case is part of why the arrest has drawn attention in the county community. WTOP said it reached out to Elizabeth Seton High School for comment, and no response was included in the information released by police.
Officials did not say what subject Marchand taught, how long he had worked at the school, or whether he remains employed there. They also did not say whether school administrators were notified before the arrest.
Child exploitation unit asks for more information
Maryland State Police are asking anyone with information related to the investigation to contact the Child Exploitation Unit at 1-800-637-5437. That request suggests investigators are still gathering information even after the arrest and search warrant.
Public tips can be important in cases involving digital material, especially when investigators are trying to determine whether there were additional victims, devices, or locations involved. Police did not identify any alleged victims or say whether the case extends beyond Marchand’s home and workplace.
For now, the public details are limited to the arrest, the search warrant, the evidence seizure and the charges. The criminal case will move forward through the county court process, where additional facts may become public.
What is known about the charges and next steps
Marchand faces several counts of distribution and possession of child pornography, but Maryland State Police have not released a full charging document in the information provided. As a result, the exact number of counts and the underlying allegations have not been fully detailed publicly.
The case remains in its early stages. Marchand was being held for bail review after his arrest, and police have not said whether prosecutors have filed any further action beyond the current charges.
Because the investigation is still active, authorities have kept many specifics private. What is clear is that state police say the case began earlier this month, led to a warrant at a College Park home, and brought in multiple agencies working together on a child exploitation investigation.
