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, 50, from Woodstock, Maryland, served as a domestic violence detective for 27 years.
The indictment was announced by Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, alongside Special Agent in Charge Michael S. McCarthy from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Carroll County State’s Attorney Haven N. Shoemaker, Jr.; Sheriff James T. DeWees from the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office; and Sheriff Jeff Gahler from the Harford County Sheriff’s Office.
According to the indictment spanning ten counts, Hall allegedly sexually abused two minor children between May 2017 and October 2024. Authorities found that he installed cameras to produce child sexual abuse material and possessed such material.
If convicted, Hall faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and could receive up to 30 years in federal prison for each count related to sexual exploitation of a child. Federal sentencing is determined by a district court judge based on U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
Hall's initial appearance in federal court is scheduled for Wednesday, March 19 before Magistrate Judge A. David Copperthite.
An indictment does not equate to guilt; individuals charged are presumed innocent until proven guilty in subsequent legal proceedings.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse nationwide. The project brings together resources at federal, state, and local levels to prosecute offenders and rescue victims.
Know2Protect is another campaign by the Department of Homeland Security focused on preventing online child sexual exploitation through education and empowerment initiatives targeting children, parents, policymakers, and others involved in protecting minors online.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended HSI along with Carroll County's State’s Attorney’s Office Special Victims Unit and Crimes Against Children Unit for their efforts in this investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Elizabeth McGuinn is prosecuting the case federally.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood or Know2Protect campaigns visit www.justice.gov/psc or www.dhs.gov/know2protect respectively.
