A Howard County school employee now faces charges after allegedly having sex with a 15-year-old student that he matched with on a dating app, according to court records.

Howard County Police on Thursday arrested William Nelson II, of Elkridge, a 26-year-old special education para-educator at Guilford Park High School in Jessup, for allegedly sexually abusing the teen.

The 15-year-old boy told police he met Nelson on Grindr, an LGBTQIA+ dating app, according to charging documents. In messages, Nelson told the teen he worked at his school and had seen him in the cafeteria before, charging documents read.

Nelson drove to meet the boy near his home, per court records. The teenager told officers that he and Nelson engaged in sexual intercourse in Nelson’s car, according to court records.

Nelson was charged with one count of third-degree sexual offense, online court documents show.

The student reported the incident to school staff, who police say then alerted them. An email sent to the Howard County Public School System community Thursday evening said Nelson would be on administrative leave.

Nelson has worked with the Howard County Public School System since November 2024. School officials said in the email Nelson previously worked as a substitute teacher at Long Reach High School, Triadelphia Ridge Elementary School, Laurel Woods Elementary School, Burleigh Manor Middle School and Cedar Lane School.

Nelson is due in court Dec. 11 and had no attorney listed at the time of publication.

Guilford Park High School in Jessup serves around 1,650 students. A part of the $4.6 million increase for the Howard County Police Department this year was meant to support staffing and operational costs, including adding a school resource officer at Guilford Park High School.