WESTMINSTER, Md. — A 32-year-old Westminster man was found guilty Thursday of sexually abusing a child, the Carroll County State’s Attorney’s Office announced.
Ryan Allen Will was convicted following a three-day trial. He was found guilty of sexual child abuse, continuing course of sexual abuse to a child, and sodomy. He was ordered held without bond pending his sentencing hearing scheduled for March 18, 2019.
In March of 2018, Will’s 5-year-old victim told her mother she had been sexually abused by the mother’s boyfriend, who was Will, according to evidence presented at trial. The mother reported the allegation to the Westminster Police Department, who passed them along to the Carroll County Advocacy and Investigation Center where a detective began an investigation. By March 29, a Grand Jury indictment was filed.
At the trial, Will’s victim, now 6 years old, testified explaining the details of the sexual assaults dating back until she was about 3 years old. She said the sexual abuse occurred when her mother was working late at night and she was left in Will’s care.
“The successful prosecution of a sexual child abuse case involving a young victim is very challenging,” Carroll County State’s Attorney Brian DeLeonardo said in a statement. “We are indebted to this 6-year-old child victim whose bravery in testifying before the jury was critical in securing the conviction.”
