Former Baltimore teacher of the year charged with sexual solicitation of a minor

A longtime Baltimore educator has been charged with one count of sexual solicitation of a minor for allegedly attempting to meet with a detective who was posing as a 15-year-old boy.

Dennis Jutras, 61, was arrested May 13, about a month after he first reached out to an officer who was pretending to be a high schooler named Aiden on a hookup website. According to the charging documents, Jutras and the officer had plans to meet in a Bel Air park on May 14 after the officer said he’d be home alone while his mother worked 12-hour shifts. They had previously discussed meeting up in person to have sex, charging documents state.

Jutras worked as the coordinator for gifted and advanced learning at Baltimore City Public Schools and taught social studies at Baltimore Polytechnic Institute for 10 years, according to his bio on LinkedIn. He was once named teacher of the year.

Jutras is not accused of soliciting students at work, but he “continues to have direct exposure to children in the Baltimore City Public School system daily through visiting multiple schools each day per his social media,” according to the charging documents.

Baltimore City Public Schools spokesperson Sherry Christian first said Jutras was “immediately removed from duty” after the district learned he’d been criminally charged, then later said Jutras has been placed on paid administrative leave. She said the district learned about the arrest last week and encouraged anyone with information to reach out to the Harford County Sheriff’s Office.

“Baltimore City Public Schools places the health and safety of students among its highest priorities,” Christian said in an email. “While Mr. Jutras worked in a role where he worked with schools and students as part of our Gifted and Advanced Learning program, we are not aware of any impact on City Schools students.”

Jutras’ profile on the hookup site said he was looking for “younger verbally dominant men,” the documents say. A detective communicating with Jutras through the site told the educator that he was 15 years old and in school. Jutras told the detective posing as a high schooler that he was a single educator who previously taught AP U.S. History and U.S. Government but now worked in administration, charging documents state.

Jutras and the officer chatted over text, and conversation became “increasingly intimate, sexual and personal,” according to law enforcement. On May 11, Jutras asked that they return their conversation to the hookup site “if it’s about exploring,” saying that phone texts “should remain PG” and “discretion is vital.”

According to charging documents, Jutras “engaged in very sexually explicit conversation with the persona of Aiden, sending multiple inappropriate sexual photos,” including depictions of oral sex.

When the officer asked Jutras if it was a problem that he was young, Jutras replied, “Let’s not focus on the age things because it can be an issue if I think about it too much,” the charging documents state. Jutras initiated a meetup, according to the documents.

Jutras was a well-respected educator for years in the city schools. An Advanced Placement history teacher at the Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, he became an administrator in charge of advanced academic programs. He advocated for expanding advanced classes throughout the district.

In an interview in 2024, Baltimore City Public Schools CEO Sonja Santelises called Jutras a “transformational leader” who had fought for the right of economically disadvantaged students to have access to honors and AP classes.

During Jutras’ time in the city schools, the number of students taking AP classes more than doubled, and the number of AP tests that received a score that typically qualifies for college credit tripled.

In addition, Jutras helped expand the number of middle schools offering honors classes.

Jutras’ attorney is listed as Michael Schaech in Havre de Grace, who did not immediately respond to a request for comment

Jutras appeared Friday before Harford County District Judge Tracey J. Delp, who ordered him held without bond. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 12.

Banner reporters Dylan Segelbaum and Liz Bowie contributed to this report.

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