Detectives with the New Castle County Division of Police charged a Maryland man with multiple felonies after an investigation linked him to sexual offenses against a juvenile in Middletown.
Officials confirmed that the investigation began earlier this month when a parent discovered an unfamiliar man on home security footage entering a vehicle outside their residence. A review of the recording led investigators to identify the man as 37-year-old Stephen Scott of Elkton. Detectives learned that the footage captured Scott communicating with a 15-year-old female who lives at the home.
The case was transferred to the Criminal Investigations Unit due to the circumstances. Detectives reported that their review uncovered contact between Scott and the juvenile beginning in October over a social media messaging platform. Investigators determined that the conversations continued for several weeks and resulted in sexual encounters that occurred between October and December.
The department’s Fugitive Apprehension and Surveillance Team was enlisted to track Scott’s location. With assistance from the Maryland State Police, officers located him on December 17 at a residence in the 1300 block of Stone Gate Boulevard in Elkton, where he was taken into custody.
Scott was transported to New Castle County Police Headquarters on December 19. He was formally charged with eight counts of third-degree rape involving a victim under the age of 16, one count of sexual solicitation of a child using an electronic device, and one count of unlawful sexual contact.
Court records show Scott was arraigned at Justice of the Peace Court 11 and is being held at Howard Young Correctional Institution after failing to post one million dollars cash bail. Authorities say the investigation remains active.
