LA PLATA, Md., May 13, 2025 — A Charles County man was sentenced to five years in prison, with all but 142 days suspended, for 19 counts of second-degree assault after an incident involving a school bus in Newburg. Richard William Ellis, 48, pleaded guilty to the charges on April 3, 2025, following an event on September 20, 2024, where he was accused of pointing a handgun at a school bus carrying students from Piccowaxen Middle School. Ellis received credit for 142 days already served and is now on supervised probation for five years, with an order to remove all firearms from his residence.
The incident occurred near Waverly Point Road when a school bus was dropping off a juvenile relative of Ellis. According to court records, a student on the bus made an insulting remark toward Ellis’ relative, prompting Ellis to point what was initially reported as a handgun toward the rear of the bus and approach it aggressively. The bus, fully occupied with students, left the area safely, and no physical injuries were reported. Officers later recovered a handgun from Ellis’ home matching the victims’ description. On September 23, 2024, juvenile victims provided statements to police, and Ellis was apprehended on December 23, 2024.
During the sentencing hearing, Assistant State’s Attorney Charmayne Clark argued for a harsher penalty, stating that Ellis “terrorized a bus full of children.” Assistant State’s Attorney John Stackhouse added, “He is the adult and to do that to a bunch of kids on a bus – it is so wrong. That was a really bad thing to do.”
Ellis’ wife, in a public Facebook post, disputed the prosecution’s narrative, asserting that no firearm was involved. She claimed bus camera footage presented in court showed Ellis holding a cordless impact wrench, not a gun, and that a size comparison in court supported this. She stated, “There. Was. No. Gun,” emphasizing that all firearm-related charges were either reduced to misdemeanors or resulted in not guilty verdicts. According to her, Ellis was in their driveway working on a trailer when the bus passed by, and students were yelling insults at their son. She described Ellis’ actions as a reaction, saying, “My husband, frustrated, heartbroken, and being a protective dad—flung his hands in the air, drill still in it, and yelled back at the whole bus to leave our fucking kid alone.”
The post further detailed ongoing bullying of their son, confirmed by the school’s vice principal after reviewing bus footage. The family reported additional harassment incidents on March 18, 19, and 20, 2025, recorded on multiple devices, showing students on the same bus taunting their son. Ellis’ wife expressed frustration, stating, “We pulled him out of school to protect him—and he still can’t find peace at home.” She also criticized media coverage, specifically calling out TheBayNet for publishing what she described as a “twisted narrative” that defamed her husband’s character.
Ellis entered an Alford plea for the second-degree assault charges, acknowledging the state’s evidence while maintaining his innocence. Charges of reckless endangerment and firearm use in a violent crime were dismissed. The court’s decision reflects the plea agreement, focusing on the intent to intimidate as the basis for the assault convictions.
The case has sparked local discussion about bullying, parental responses, and media responsibility. The Ellis family has indicated plans to share their son’s perspective publicly, with Ellis’ wife noting, “Parents are going to be really upset when Jackson tells his story because he can certainly get away with posting much more than I.” She questioned the motives of those opposing their son’s right to speak out, asking, “Why would people be so mad that my child is telling his side of the story on social media?”
Charles County officials have not commented further on the case or the bullying allegations beyond the court proceedings. The sentencing concludes the legal process for Ellis, but the family’s public statements suggest ongoing efforts to address their son’s experiences and challenge the narrative surrounding the incident.
