Anne Arundel County police sergeant accused of rape, sexual abuse of teen denied bail
An Anne Arundel County police sergeant has been charged in connection with the alleged rape and sexual abuse of a minor.
James Shoults, 59, of Severna Park, was arrested Monday by Maryland State Police.
Shoults has been charged with second-degree rape, sex abuse of a minor, second-degree child abuse, and other related offenses. Shoults is suspended without pay from the department pending the outcome of the investigation. He was denied bail on Tuesday.
Investigators said the alleged sexual abuse of a 16-year-old girl occurred at Shoults' home on Jan. 10, 2026. State Police began investigating in early July after the girl's mother reported the alleged sexual assault on June 30.
"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.
Shoults is a 31-year-veteran of the police department serving in the Bureau of Patrol.
According to charging documents, Shoults and the girl went out to eat, watched a game near Annapolis Mall and then went shopping. Shoults allegedly gave the girl alcoholic drinks in the car on the way to his home and continued giving her drinks after they arrived.
The girl told police Shoults was being "really pushy" about wanting her to drink and kept making her drinks. She said she did not feel drunk but experienced a different sensation, describing it as "sitting still and feeling like the door was moving closer and then further away."
According to the documents, the girl became sick and took a shower. Shoults then gave her a pair of his pajama pants that had a large hole between the legs.
The girl told police that Shoults lay on the bed with her even after she said no. She said she felt "frozen in time" and "paralyzed" as he moved closer to her and allegedly touched her inappropriately in multiple places.
Police executed a search warrant at Shoults' home on July 20 and seized three cell phones and other electronic devices, according to charging documents.
Shoults confirmed to investigators that he gave the girl alcohol and that she became sick, according to the documents.
After searching the home, detectives requested an arrest warrant, saying digital evidence they gathered supported the timeline and details provided during the girl's forensic interview.
Anyone with information about the alleged abuse is asked to contact Senior Trooper Dustin Pope at dustin.pope@maryland.gov.
Neighbors call the allegations "heartbreaking"
Shoults lived in a quiet neighborhood in Severna Park where neighbors say they watched the investigation unfold.
A woman, going by Lynn in this story, said she saw a heavy police presence at his home in July. She said he often parked his police vehicle outside of her home.
"You hear this stuff all the time, but when it happens right in your neighborhood, [its] sad," Lynn said. "I was just really surprised. I mean, he's been a neighbor for 20 years."
Other neighbors told WJZ they felt safer because he lived down the street.
"It's a shame," Lynn said. "If it's true, he's where he belongs."
TurnAround, Inc. is an organization working with victims of sexual crimes. Young people can show signs of trauma soon after a situation like this.
"More likely than not, if you're victimized by it, it will be by someone you know and someone you trust," Amanda Rodriguez, CEO of Turnaround, Inc., said. "There's lots of emotions that come up immediately after a sexual assault, so it's not unusual that it takes several months for a victim to come forward, especially when that victim is a young person."
Court records described Shoults as a father figure to the young girl.
Parents should keep an eye out for changes in their child's behavior, which can often be a sign they are in a dangerous or traumatic situation.
"Parents should be looking for things like: Did their grades suddenly drop? Did they suddenly become much more isolated. Did they stop engaging activities that they previously enjoyed? The other thing that can happen is that they start acting out," Rodriguez explained.
If someone you know needs help right away, you can call TurnAround's 24-hour helpline at 443-279-0379. In an emergency, you can also text 410-498-5956.
