A federal grand jury has indicted Ryan Christopher Hall, a former detective with the Harford County Sheriff's Office, on charges of sexual exploitation of a child and possession of child sexual abuse material. Hall, aged 50 from Woodstock, Maryland, served 27 years as a domestic violence detective.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment alongside Special Agent in Charge Michael S. McCarthy of Homeland Security Investigations Baltimore; Carroll County State’s Attorney Haven N. Shoemaker Jr.; Sheriff James T. DeWees of the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office; and Sheriff Jeff Gahler of the Harford County Sheriff’s Office.
The indictment alleges that between May 2017 and October 2024, Hall sexually abused two minors. It is reported that he installed cameras to create child sexual abuse material and possessed such materials.
If found guilty, Hall faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and up to 30 years in federal prison for each count related to sexual exploitation of a child. Sentencing will be determined by a federal district court judge after considering various guidelines and factors.
Hall's initial court appearance is scheduled for Wednesday, March 19 before Magistrate Judge A. David Copperthite. An indictment is not an indication of guilt; individuals are presumed innocent until proven otherwise in court proceedings.
This case falls under Project Safe Childhood, an initiative started by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse nationwide. The project brings together resources from various levels to prosecute offenders and assist victims.
Additionally, Know2Protect is highlighted as a campaign by the Department of Homeland Security aimed at educating communities about preventing online child sexual exploitation and offering resources for victims.
U.S. Attorney Hayes acknowledged the efforts made by HSI, Carroll County State’s Attorney’s Office Special Victims Unit, and Carroll County Sheriff’s Office Crimes Against Children Unit during their investigation into this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Elizabeth McGuinn is prosecuting it federally.
Further details about Project Safe Childhood can be accessed at www.justice.gov/psc while information about Know2Protect is available at www.dhs.gov/know2protect.
For more insights into the priorities and community outreach programs led by the Maryland U.S. Attorney's Office visit www.justice.gov/usao-md.