The former Glenelg High School teacher accused of having inappropriate contact with female students pleaded guilty to one of several sex-abuse charges at the beginning of his trial Monday.

Joseph Ellis, 26, of Elkridge, is facing six criminal charges including sex abuse of a minor, fourth-degree sex offenses, indecent exposure and obscene matter display to a minor, according to court records.

At the start of jury selection Monday in Howard Circuit Court, Ellis surprised prosecutors by pleading guilty to one count of displaying obscene material to a minor, said Wayne Kirwan, spokesman for the State’s Attorney’s Office.

Howard Circuit Judge Richard Bernhardt accepted the guilty plea, but said it would be premature to sentence Ellis until he has been tried for the remaining charges, Kirwan said.

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Ellis was arrested in January 2006 after two female Glenelg High students, ages 16 and 17 at the time, reported his inappropriate behavior.

The 17-year-old victim testified Monday that Ellis initiated inappropriate conversations with her and e-mailed her photographs of him posing nude and having sex with an unidentified woman,

“He told me I couldn’t tell anybody. It was very secretive and he could get fired,” the girl, now 18, said in court.

“I knew it was wrong.”

She said Ellis also exposed himself to her while they were alone together in a classroom in December 2006 and tried to force her to touch him.

The girl said her classmates found out about the relationship after she reported it to her Spanish teacher in January 2007.

“Everyone thought I was lying. A lot of people wither felt sorry for me or they turned their backs,” she said.

Ellis was popular among the students and the football and lacrosse players that he coached.

“Joseph Ellis did more than just cross the line, he abused his position as a teacher. He violated that sacred relationship between a student and teacher,” said Assistant State’s Attorney Lisa Broten.

Ellis’ attorney Gerald Richman asked the jurors to “keep an open mind” and said he contests the victim’s allegations that Ellis exposed himself in the classroom.

The trial is expected to continue today.

cpeirce@baltimoreexaminer.com