Second Earth Treks Instructor Pleads Guilty in Sex Offense Case

Fulton resident Daniel Lloyd Montague, 20, pleaded guilty Tuesday to having sexual contact with an underage student at the Columbia rock climbing center where he was an instructor. The former Boy Scout faces no jail time.

Montague was charged with eight counts of misdemeanor sex offenses and pleaded guilty in Howard County Circuit Court to one count.

After the trial in which Montague was portrayed by his defense attorney as a caring, sensitive young man who was led astray, Judge Richard S. Bernhardt found Montague guilty on the one count and sentenced him to an 18-month jail term, with all 18 months suspended.

Montague was ordered to serve a two-year supervised probation period, perform 100 hours of community service by next December, stay away from the victim, have no unsupervised contact with girls under the age of 16, stay away from all Earth Treks facilities and complete six more months of psychological treatment.

Bernhardt said Montague could file for a reduction of the sentence in June 2012, which coincides with his anticipated graduation from Howard Community College.

Montague was one of two Earth Treks climbing instructors charged with multiple counts resulting from sexual encounters with the same 14-year-old girl, a student at the Columbia center.

The two instructors had sexual contact with the girl from March to June of this year.

Michael J. Lyons, 31, reached a plea agreement last week and faces eight years in jail.

The girl was a member of the climbing center's competitive team. Lyons was the head coach and Montague the assistant coach.

Montague told the court that he exercised poor judgment and caused his family stress and expense. He will not have to register as a sex offender.