Charles Erby, who has no known location, was sentenced to 40 years in jail after being arrested in DC and convicted of multiple rape counts last year.
Prosecutors said Erby’s conviction stemmed from an incident on April 10, 2024, when he began interacting with a 17-year-old on her way home from school at the Rockville Metro Station.
The two boarded the same Metrobus, and the conversation continued when he asked for her phone number and began texting her.
“While the two were conversing in the back of the bus, a female bystander sat in between (the teen) and (Erby) and wrote a note to her using a pink pen, asking if she was safe,” stated the prosecution.
“(The teen) shook her head no and mouthed ‘I don’t know’ to the woman and then proceeded to show her a note on her cell phone that said, ‘I’m 17.”
According to court filings, the youngster got uneasy during the chat and departed the bus at Veirs Mill Road and Aspen Hill Road, with Erby following closely behind her.
Erby followed her, held her hand, and led the youngster to a wooded spot where he raped her while filming the assault and taking filthy images of her.
Following his escape, Montgomery County identified him as a suspect, apprehended him, and ultimately found him guilty.
“(Erby) preyed upon an innocent child in our community,” State’s Attorney John McCarthy claimed. “The judge properly imposed the maximum sentence authorized by law.
“All of our children should be able to travel to and from school safely, without the concern of becoming victims of crime.”
Erby’s sentence also mandates that, upon his release, he register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.