An Anne Arundel County Police officer has been suspended without pay after authorities charged him with rape and child sex abuse for an alleged incident at his home, officials said.
Sgt. James Brooke Shoults, 59, of Severna Park, faces second-degree rape and assault, fourth-degree sex offense and child sex abuse charges among others, according to online court documents. He has worked for the county police department for 31 years, its Office of Professional Standards said in a statement.
Shoults, who could not be reached for immediate comment, did not have an attorney listed in online court records.
Maryland State Police said in a news release that a girl reported on July 7 she had been raped by Shoults in his home on Jan. 10. The investigation commenced, and state police notified Anne Arundel County Police about the probe on July 20, the department said. Shoults was placed on administrative suspension with pay when Anne Arundel County Police learned of the investigation, officials said.
“These are serious and disturbing allegations that, if true, are wholly inconsistent with the exemplary standards we expect from our police officers who are the keepers of public trust,” Anne Arundel County Police Chief Amal E. Awad said in a statement.
Ashley Millner, a state police spokesperson, said she could not say why there was a gap between the start of the investigation and its notification to Anne Arundel County Police. Shoults was not on duty nor operating in his capacity as an officer when the alleged assault occurred, according to Millner.
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Shoults was arrested Monday by state police and is being held at the Jennifer Road Detention Center. He has a bail review hearing scheduled for Tuesday at 10:30 a.m.
Shoults is at least the second police officer in the state to face rape charges within the last week. Daniel Oxendine, a 32-year-old Baltimore Police Department officer, was accused of raping a crime victim in her home while he was on duty.




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