Officials Investigating After Registered Sex Offender Allegedly Employed at Hard Crab Derby
Crisfield, Md. — Officials and event organizers are investigating how a registered sex offender was employed and worked a children’s ride at the annual Crisfield Hard Crab Derby earlier in the month. The community first heard about the incident several days after offender 67-year-old Tracy Grant Bayne allegedly operated a children’s train ride during a carnival that took place as part of the weekend festivities.
A Facebook post began circulating with Bayne’s offender registry page and a claim that he was employed and working with children during the carnival. Bayne’s registry page says that he was convicted of sexual abuse of a minor in 2011, making him a Tier 3 offender, the most severe category. Bayne was released in the spring of 2022.
The post quickly caught the attention of the Crisfield Area Chamber of Commerce, who posted a statement to Facebook over the weekend, stating they were not aware of Bayne’s history and were not involved in his hiring or employment. The organization added that they hire a carnival company and they would be seeking answers with the company about how this situation happened.
“The National Hard Crab Derby is a celebration for the entire Crisfield community, especially our children, and their safety will always be a top priority. Please know that this situation is not being taken lightly, and we are committed to addressing it appropriately,” the chamber of commerce’s statement said.
Stine Amusements, the organization that ran the carnival, acknowledged the incident on social media. Owner Paul Stine wrote that in every town his company works they hire local people for temporary gigs and Bayne asked him for a job. Stine added that he asked Bayne if he had any warrants or other issues with his background, to which Bayne allegedly replied that he did not. Stine continued, saying that he is not from the area, and no one informed him or other employees that Bayne was a registered sex offender.
” If I would have known he would have been fired instantly and banned from the carnival grounds I am deeply and truly sorry for all the grief that this is happening again I am deeply and truly sorry it will not happen again cuz we have changed our hiring practices because of this incident,” Stine wrote on social media.
Stine told WMDT that he will now be requiring a full background check for prospective employees in the future to prevent anything like this from happening in the future. The owner added that “safety of the kids is more important than anything in the world.”
The Somerset County Sheriff’s Office told WMDT that they were aware of the incident and have an open investigation into the matter. The agency said they would be looking into possible probation violations from Bayne along with several other claims about Bayne and his presence at carnival being discussed on social media. Registered sex offenders in Maryland are required to notify law enforcement about changes to their employment.
This story is ongoing and will be updated once the investigation is closed.
