OCEAN CITY, Md. (WBOC/AP)- Worcester County prosecutors on Monday charged Cecil County State's Attorney Edward D. Rollins III with two counts each indecent exposure and disorderly conduct following accusations that he exposed himself on two different occasions in Ocean City.
Worcester County State's Attorney Beau Oglseby, whose office is prosecuting the case, announced the charges Monday against Rollins, 60, of North East, Md.
"After carefully considering which course of action would be the most appropriate given the need to handle this matter with transparency balanced against the desire to shield the identifies of the victims, filing a criminal information achieved both of those goals," Oglesby said in a statement.
The charges filed against Rollins stemmed from an incident that allegedly happened at around 4 p.m. Wednesday, June 22. Ocean City police said officers were called to the Clarion Hotel for a report of a "nude male" on a balcony.
Police said officers located the room in question and ultimately took Rollins into custody for disorderly conduct and indecent exposure. According to the statement of charges filed against him, Rollins also indecently exposed himself on Tuesday, June 21.
Officers consulted with Oglesby and were told to release Rollins without charges pending further investigation, according to police. But on Monday, Oglesby announced that charges had been filed in Worcester County Circuit Court against Rollins.
A summons will be issued for Rollins to appear in the Circuit Court within 30 days for an initial appearance, Oglesby said.
According to Oglesby, indecent exposure is a misdemeanor with a possibility of three years behind bars or a $1,000 fine, or both. Disorderly conduct is also a misdemeanor with a possibility of 60 days of jail time or a $500 fine, or both.
Rollins has served as Cecil County's state's attorney since 2011 and has applied for appointment for a Circuit Court judge position in Cecil County.
A woman who answered the phone at Rollins' office said there's no comment on the case.
