James Brooke Shoults is a 59-year-old Anne Arundel County Police Department sergeant from Severna Park, Maryland, who was arrested on August 31, 2026, after Maryland State Police accused him of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl at his home earlier in the year. Shoults, a 31-year veteran assigned to the Bureau of Patrol, faces charges including second-degree rape, sexual abuse of a minor, child abuse, assault and a fourth-degree sexual offense. He has been suspended without pay while the criminal case and an internal police investigation proceed.
James Shoults Arrest
Maryland State Police Arrested Shoults On August 31, 2026. State police said a warrant was issued and served on Shoults after an investigation into allegations involving a juvenile female. He was taken into custody without incident. [Maryland State Police]
Shoults Was Taken To The Jennifer Road Detention Center. Maryland State Police said he was being held there pending a bail review hearing in Anne Arundel County District Court. [Maryland State Police]
Court Records Initially Showed Shoults Held Without Bond. Reporting based on Maryland court records said he remained held without bond following his arrest, with a bail review scheduled for September 1. [WMAR] [BayNet]
Charges Against James Shoults
Shoults Is Charged With Second-Degree Rape. Maryland State Police described the rape count as a felony arising from the alleged January sexual assault. [Maryland State Police]
He Is Also Charged With Sexual Abuse Of A Minor. The charge is among the principal offenses announced by state police following his arrest. [Maryland State Police]
Court Records List Additional Child-Abuse, Assault And Sexual-Offense Charges. Public court records cited by local media include second-degree child abuse, second-degree assault, fourth-degree sexual offense and contributing to the condition of a child among the additional charges. [BayNet] [Patch]
Alleged Assault Of 16-Year-Old Girl
The Alleged Victim Was 16 Years Old. CBS Baltimore reported from charging documents that the case involves a 16-year-old girl. [CBS Baltimore]
Investigators Say The Alleged Sexual Assault Occurred At Shoults’ Severna Park Home. Maryland State Police identified January 10, 2026, as the date of the alleged abuse. [Maryland State Police]
Court Records List Alleged Offenses Between January 1 And January 10. Several charges are specifically tied to January 10, while reporting on the docket indicates the broader charging period begins January 1. [BayNet]
Dinner, Sporting Event And Shopping Trip
Charging Documents Say Shoults Spent The Day With The Teenager Before Taking Her To His Home. According to CBS Baltimore’s review of charging documents, Shoults and the girl went out to eat, watched a sporting event near Annapolis Mall and went shopping before traveling to his Severna Park residence. [CBS Baltimore]
Shoults Allegedly Gave The Girl Alcohol In His Vehicle. The teenager told investigators Shoults gave her alcoholic drinks while they were traveling to his home. [CBS Baltimore]
He Allegedly Continued Giving Her Alcohol After They Arrived. Charging documents say the girl described Shoults as being persistent about getting her to drink and repeatedly making drinks for her. [CBS Baltimore]
Teenager Describes Unusual Physical Sensation
The Girl Said She Began Feeling Unusual After Drinking. According to charging documents, she told police she did not feel conventionally drunk but experienced a sensation in which her surroundings appeared to move closer and farther away while she remained still. [CBS Baltimore]
The Teenager Became Sick And Took A Shower. Investigators said she became ill after drinking and went to shower at Shoults’ home. [CBS Baltimore]
Shoults Gave Her A Pair Of His Pajama Pants. Charging documents say he provided the clothing after she showered. [CBS Baltimore]
Alleged Sexual Assault In Bedroom
The Girl Said Shoults Got Into Bed With Her Despite Her Saying No. According to investigators, she told police that Shoults lay beside her and moved closer even after she rejected his advances. [CBS Baltimore]
She Described Feeling Unable To React. The teenager told investigators she felt frozen and paralyzed during the encounter as Shoults allegedly touched her sexually. [CBS Baltimore]
The Account Led Investigators To Seek Rape And Sexual-Abuse Charges. Maryland State Police ultimately obtained an arrest warrant accusing Shoults of second-degree rape and other offenses. [Maryland State Police]
Maryland State Police Investigation
The Alleged Assault Was Reported Months Later. CBS Baltimore reported that the girl’s mother contacted authorities on June 30, while Maryland State Police formally describes its criminal investigation as beginning July 7 after the victim reported the alleged assault. [CBS Baltimore] [Maryland State Police]
State Police Executed A Search Warrant At Shoults’ Home On July 20. Investigators seized three cell phones and other electronic devices from the residence, according to charging documents. [CBS Baltimore]
Shoults Admitted Giving The Girl Alcohol. Charging documents say he acknowledged to investigators that he provided alcohol to the teenager and that she became sick. [CBS Baltimore]
Investigators Said Digital Evidence Supported Parts Of The Girl’s Account. After examining the devices and other evidence, detectives said the digital evidence corroborated the timeline and details she provided during a forensic interview. [CBS Baltimore]
James Shoults At Anne Arundel County Police
Shoults Is A 31-Year Veteran Of The Anne Arundel County Police Department. The department identified him as a longtime officer assigned to its Bureau of Patrol. [Anne Arundel County Police]
Shoults Holds The Rank Of Sergeant. He remained employed by the department when Maryland State Police opened the criminal investigation. [Anne Arundel County Police]
Shoults Suspended From Police Department
Anne Arundel County Police Learned Of The Investigation On July 20. The department said Maryland State Police notified it that a criminal investigation involving Shoults was underway. [Anne Arundel County Police]
Shoults Was Initially Suspended With Pay. Police placed him on administrative suspension while the state investigation continued. [Anne Arundel County Police]
His Suspension Was Changed To Without Pay After His Arrest. The department changed his employment status after the August 31 warrant was served. [Anne Arundel County Police]
An Internal Administrative Investigation Is Also Underway. Shoults’ suspension will remain in effect pending both the criminal case and the department’s administrative review. [Anne Arundel County Police]
Police Chief Responds
Chief Amal Awad Called The Allegations Serious And Disturbing. Awad said the alleged behavior, if proven, would be incompatible with the standards expected of police officers entrusted with public authority. [Anne Arundel County Police]
Court Case
Shoults Was Scheduled For A Bail Review On September 1. Court records cited immediately after his arrest showed a bail review scheduled in Anne Arundel County District Court. [BayNet]
A Preliminary Hearing Is Scheduled For September 30. The hearing is expected to determine whether the case will continue toward prosecution in Circuit Court. [BayNet]
The Investigation Remains Active. Maryland State Police has asked anyone with information about the case to contact investigators. [Maryland State Police]
Shoults Has Not Been Convicted. The rape, sexual-abuse, child-abuse and assault counts are criminal allegations that remain pending as the case proceeds.
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One of the first political bloggers in the world, Oliver Willis has operated OliverWillis.com since 2000. Contributor at Media Matters for America and The American Independent. Follow on Twitter at @owillis. Full bio.