Princess Anne Man Arrested for Sexual Abuse of a Minor
PRINCESS ANNE, Md. – The Somerset County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) has arrested a Princess Anne man on charges in connection with the sexual abuse of a juvenile female.
According to court documents obtained by WMDT, deputies arrested 38-year-old Travis Carpenter on charges including sexual abuse of a minor, first and second degree child abuse, sexual solicitation of a minor, second degree assault, and fourth degree sexual offense. Carpenter has also been charged with two counts of third degree sexual offense; one count indicates sexual offense against a person considered to be helpless or impaired, and one count indicates the offender was over the age of 21 at the time of having sexual contact with a 14 or 15-year-old victim.
Carpenter has since been arraigned and is being held at the Somerset County Detention Center without bond. He is scheduled to have a preliminary appearance on Aug. 21 in Somerset District Court.
“Protecting children remains one of the highest priorities of the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office,” said Sheriff Ronnie Howard. “Cases involving the sexual abuse of children require a coordinated effort, and we are grateful for the assistance provided by our law enforcement and community partners. Their professionalism and dedication were instrumental in bringing this investigation to a successful conclusion.”
On Jul. 15, SCSO detectives received a report alleging Carpenter had sexually abused a juvenile. An investigation was launched in collaboration with the Somerset County Child Advocacy Center and the Somerset County Department of Social Services, which included interviews with the victim and witnesses. Based on evidence obtained during the investigation, detectives applied for criminal charges and an arrest warrant was issued for Carpenter.
During the course of the investigation, detectives learned that Carpenter had left the State of Maryland. Information regarding his whereabouts was shared with the Maryland State Apprehension Team and surrounding law enforcement agencies. On Jul. 28, Carpenter was located and arrested by deputies in Accomack County, Virginia on the Somerset County arrest warrant.
After waiving extradition, Carpenter was returned to Somerset County by members of the SCSO Criminal Investigation Division (CID) on Jul. 30. Upon his return, Carpenter was interviewed by investigators before making an initial appearance before a Somerset County District Court Commissioner.
Because this investigation involves a juvenile victim, no additional information concerning the victim or specific investigative details will be released.
Anyone with additional information related to this investigation is encouraged to contact SCSO CID at (410) 651-9225.
