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Town Councilman arrested
for sex abuse of a minor

Update: Prior to the April 23rd Town Council meeting, a closed door meeting was held to allow the mayor, commissioners, and staff to go into a closed session meeting to consult with counsel to obtain legal advice on a legal matter.

In the closed session the Council was told that they can't remove a commissioner from office unless they have been convicted of a crime - as Lookingbill has only been accused, they can't do anything.

Mayor Kinnaird read a prepared statement from the closed session in which they, as the Board, said Lookingbill should resign to focus on his legal issues.

(4/19) On April 19, the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office arrested Robert Lookingbill after a student said he touched the student inappropriately. The incident happened on the school bus Lookingbill drives for Frederick County Public Schools (FCPS) bus driver faces charges

The Sheriff’s Office said that it was contacted by the Frederick County Child Protective Services March 28 about a complaint of sexual assault involving a child who was a student on the bus that Lookingbill drove.

Following an investigation, Lookingbill was charged on four counts: Sex Abuse of a Minor; Third Degree Sex Offense; Fourth Degree Sex Offense; and, 2nd Degree Assault.

A bond hearing was held on Monday in Frederick County District Court for Lookingbill, who was released on personal recognizance. District Court Judge Earl Bartgis told Lookingbill to have no contact with the victim, and no unsupervised contact with anyone under 18 years of age.

Frederick County Public Schools placed Lookingbill on administrative leave as soon as it found out about the complaint.

Lookingbill was elected to the Town Council on November 7 after a contentious election stemming from the Simmer Farm annexation. Lookingbill believed that the Town did not take residents’ opinion into account when approving the Simmer’s Farm Annexation and publicly vowed to take public opinion into account during their four-year terms.

"My hope is to work with all the citizens of Thurmont to make our small town continue to be a place we love to call home," Lookingbill said after the election results were announced.

Lookingbill served on the Town Council previously from 2007 to 2011. He lost his reelection bid in a landslide to John Kinnard, who two years later was elected to his current position as Mayor.

Lookingbill also previously served on Thurmont’s Board of Appeals and Police Commission and most recently served on the Board of Supervisors of Elections, but stepped down from that position as part of his successful run for the Town Council last fall.

Should Lookingbill opt to resign, or be forced off his seat on the Town Council A special election will be held to fill the seat according to Town Manager Jim Humerick.

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