Former Wicomico Co. Sheriff’s Deputy convicted by jury of rape, misconduct in office

SALISBURY, Md. – A former Wicomico County Sheriff’s Deputy has been convicted of multiple counts of rape and misconduct in office.

Following a five-day jury trial, 32-year-old Steven Abreu was convicted on Friday of a total of 29 counts, including first degree rape and several counts of second degree rape, third and fourth degree sex offense, misconduct in office, false imprisonment, and unlawful sexual conduct by a law enforcement office.

Sentencing was deferred pending a pre-sentence investigation report and psychological evaluation. Abreu was remanded to the custody of the Wicomico County Detention Center pending sentencing.

In October 2022, a woman reported that Abreu had detained her in a parking lot and sexually assaulted her. Further investigation revealed additional crimes; in one case, Abreu offered a ride to a woman in his patrol car before sexually assaulting her, and in another, he returned to the home of a woman he had interacted with during a call for service earlier that day and, under the guise of providing her with a victim information pamphlet, sexually assaulted her. A fourth woman was reportedly stopped by Abreu while she was driving home, but was able to escape when a neighbor approached and asked if everything was okay.