Worcester County Sheriff’s Deputy arrested, charged with child abuse

NEWARK, Md. – An investigation into an alleged assault has resulted in the arrest of a Worcester County law enforcement officer.

39-year-old Christopher Barrs, a Worcester County Sheriff’s Deputy, was arrested and charged with second degree assault and child abuse early Tuesday afternoon. He was later released on a $15,0000 unsecured personal bond.

According to police, the alleged victim is a teenage female known to Barrs.

Sheriff Matthew Crisafulli released a statement on the incident, saying “I takes the charges very seriously and I applaud the diligence and care taken by both the Maryland State Police and the Department of Social Services. It’s important that everyone knows that the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office values transparency and sharing critical information with the public. While I cannot comment further, as it could jeopardize the investigation, I fully believe that the community deserves to know when a member of this agency has been charged with a crime.”

Crisafulli says that Barrs was suspended back on June 13th as a result of the investigation and will remain suspended pending the outcome of an internal investigation as well as the outcome of the criminal charges.