Leonardtown High School Assistant Principal Kelly McClure-Hewitt charged with Sex Assault with Student; allegedly plied a male Student with Unwanted Gifts and Assault.
WHY WAS THE ARREST DELAYED?
ST. MARY’S SHERIFF HELD OFF SERVING THE ARREST WARRANT FOR THE ACCUSED SEX OFFENDER FOR THREE WEEKS AS THE HUSBAND OF THE LEONARDTOWN HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATOR WAS DYING, AND THE FUNERAL WAS HELD ON MAY 11, 2023
LEONARDTOWN, MD – A Leonardtown High School Assistant Principal who bought a house in Lexington Park one year ago with a man who shares the same hyphenated last name is sitting in the St. Mary’s Sheriff’s Jail on charges that he has been romancing a male student and allegedly made unwanted contact with the student in a sexual assault.
On Wednesday, May 17, 2023, St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Daniel Sidorowicz charged 55-year-old Lexington Park resident Kelly McClure-Hewitt with sex offenses involving an 18-year-old victim.; however, the warrant for the arrest of McClure-Hewitt was issued on April 28, 2023.
Kelly Eugene McClure-Hewitt, an Assistant Principal at Leonardtown High School, was arrested and charged via warrant with Third-Degree Sex Offense, Fourth-Degree Sex Offense: Sexual Contact, and Second-Degree Assault.
Strange doings in the assistant principal’s office
On March 27, 2023, in cooperation with St. Mary’s County Public Schools, St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Department detectives began investigating the victim’s written complaint. The 18-year-old male victim alleged a series of encounters with McClure-Hewitt in March at Leonardtown High School. The victim stated that during multiple visits to his office, McClure-Hewitt provided unsolicited gifts, discussed sexual preference, and made unwanted sexual contact.
Police say that before the unsolicited contact, the victim did not know McClure-Hewitt and had no previous contact of any kind.
McClure-Hewitt was transported to the St. Mary’s County Jail in Leonardtown, where he is held on a no-bond status pending a hearing on May 18, 2023.
Maryland land records reveal that Kelly Eugene McClure-Hewitt purchased a house at 21967 Stoney Brook Drive, Lexington Park, along with Derek C. McClure-Hewitt on April 13, 2022.
The obituary of the accused’s husband, Calvert County teacher Derek McClure-Hewitt, died on May 5, 2023, with the delay on the arrest of the Leonardtown Assistant Principal apparently deferred for three weeks.
The delay may have been due to funeral arrangements for his deceased husband, Derek McClure-Hewitt, a longtime Calvert County teacher for twenty-nine years, which was held at the First Missionary Baptist Church on Pegg Lane in Lexington Park on May 11, 2023. The obituary states that the two male teachers married on August 7, 1999, and adopted a child in 2010 after acting as foster parents.
Such deference to an ill or deceased hasn’t always been the practice for the St. Mary’s Sheriff. The St. Mary’s Sheriff’s Department interrupted a service at a funeral home in Leonardtown to arrest a wanted suspect from a Hollywood family who was in attendance at a viewing and prayers at the Brinsfield Funeral Home.
Court records do not show any attorney representing McClure-Hewitt at publishing time. The Leonardtown High School website apparently was scrubbed by the day of McClure-Hewitt’s arrest. He is still listed along with his email address as a staff member and as an advisor to the Black Student Union. All information on the page of the Black Student Union was either scrubbed or nothing was ever posted in the first place.
THE PRINCIPAL FAILS TO LEVEL WITH PARENTS ABOUT HOW LONG THE SCHOOLS KNEW ABOUT THE ALLEGATIONS AGAINST THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL KELLY MCCLURE-HEWITT
Dear LHS Families: Yesterday afternoon, we were informed by the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office of the arrest of one of our employees, Mr. Kelly Hewitt, who served as an assistant principal. The charges involve allegations of inappropriate contact with a student at Leonardtown High School. This arrest was made off-site, as Mr. Hewitt has been on leave since March 27, 2023.
We know that this situation may be upsetting for students, and our counseling staff and administrative team are available to help students with their concerns. Please know that the safety and well-being of our students are always a top priority, and we are cooperating with the authorities during the investigation of this matter. Our concern lies with our students, and if anyone has information related to the case, they should contact the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office, DFC Daniel Sidorowicz, 301-475-4200, ext. 78043.
If there is additional information that we are able to share, we will do so; however, as this is an ongoing criminal investigation and personnel matter, at this time, we cannot comment further about the issue. As always, we appreciate your support.
Respectfully, Jamie Copsey
Principal
(Editor’s Note: Despite the carefully crafted wording in Copsey’s letter to the parents of LHS students, the school system has known about the allegations since April 27th, as McClure-Hewitt was investigated prior to that date and the arrest warrant was filed on April 28, 2023. The arrest was delayed until May 17, 2023. One report is that the alleged sexual predator was removed from Leonardtown High School immediately.)
