MD Teacher Arrested for Robbery

A Montgomery County science teacher is in big trouble with the law after allegedly robbing a pharmacy, and then a bank just 90 minutes later.

Police say Brendon Friedman's crime spree went down this past Friday, and now he's behind bars.

A number of parents say Friedman, 41, of North Bethesda was going through some serious personal issues when he committed these crimes.

The Montgomery County Police are just happy he's off the streets and didn't harm anybody.

Brendan Friedman teaches science at Clarksburg High School. Now, he is accused of pulling out a pellet gun and demanding Xanax and Oxycontin at a pharmacy inside a Safeway in Bethesda on Friday afternoon. Then, police say he then held up an M&T Bank about 90 minutes later.

Police arrested Friedman in Silver Spring after getting a tip.

Clarksburg High School has placed Freidman on leave with pay pending an investigation. Parents who spoke with FOX 5 said they were shocked by the news.

"It sounds like something extreme is going on his life to go and do something that drastic. Something is definitely going on with him," says parent Teresa Whitehead.

Friedman’s defense attorney has requested a psychological examination of his client, who has a master's degree from Johns Hopkins University and no previous criminal history. Friedman has worked for Montgomery County Public Schools since 2005.

Friedman is being held on $20,000 bond. Police say at this point, it's unclear what led Friedman to go on the crime spree.

He has been charged with two counts of armed robbery.