LAUREL, Del. – A 40-year-old man has been arrested and charged in connection with the sexual assault of a 7-year-old girl, according to the Laurel Police Department.
Police say Laurel Criminal Investigation Unit detectives were dispatched to TidalHealth Hospital on December 28, 2025, after receiving a report of a sexual assault involving a juvenile victim. Investigators later determined the alleged assault occurred at the child’s residence.
As a result of the investigation, Ricardo Desir, 40, of Haiti, was identified as the suspect. An arrest warrant was approved on January 16, 2026. Officers responded to Desir’s residence, where he was taken into custody without incident.
Desir was charged with one count of second-degree rape involving a victim under the age of 12, a Class B felony. He was arraigned and committed to Sussex Correctional Institution on $60,000 cash-only bail.
Police say the investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information related to this case or other criminal activity is asked to contact the Laurel Police Department at 302-875-2244.