BALTIMORE — A former Charles H. Hickory, Jr. School staff member is facing multiple counts of sexual abuse of a minor and sex offense in the third degree.
Ronald Neverdon, 78, was charged Wednesday for the alleged sexual abuse of at least 69 victims.
According to court documents, Neverdon was staffed at the all boys detention facility from the mid-1960s to the mid-1990s. The school is operated by the Department of Juvenile Services.
Baltimore County Police say they were made aware of the abuse in April 2024.
At the facility, Neverdon held a supervisor role and was tasked to assist the young men in need.
The complaint alleges Neverdon misused his authority.
"He raped children in his office. He molested them in the gym. He sexually abused plaintiffs in their rooms. He abused them in the bathroom, the shower and anywhere else he could," court documents say.
Also noted in the complaint, Neverdon's alleged abuse took place in and out of the facility.
He allegedly took victims to his house and molested them.
Court documents also say that Neverdon leveraged his authority, bribing the victims so he could extort them.
Noted throughout the complaint, representation for the victims call out DJS for "falling short" of its mission to "transform young people's lives by creating safe communities."
"The DJS has failed to provide safe communities. It has not valued the voices of youth. The DJS has utterly failed to protect children in its care."
Baltimore County Police say the assaults occurred from 1976 through 1988.
If you believe you may have been a victim of Neverdon, contact police at 410-887-7720. You can also contact Child Protective Services at 410-887-8463.
