Federalsburg Man Sentenced to 65 Years for Sexually Abusing a Child Over Five Years

Caroline County, MD - A Federalsburg man will spend the next 65 years behind bars after a jury found him guilty of repeatedly sexually abusing a minor child over the course of five years.

Christopher James Thomas, of Federalsburg, Maryland, was sentenced on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, by the Honorable Judge Heather Price in Caroline County. He received a 70-year sentence to the Department of Corrections, with five years suspended, resulting in an active sentence of 65 years.

Thomas was convicted on multiple charges following a four-day jury trial. Those charges included Sex Abuse of a Minor - Continuing Course of Conduct, Sex Abuse of a Minor by a Family and Household Member, Child Abuse Second Degree by a Family and Household Member, Second Degree Assault, Sex Offense Third Degree, and Sex Offense Fourth Degree.

Before handing down the sentence, Judge Price reviewed a Pre-Sentence Investigation that detailed Thomas's criminal history. She sentenced him to the maximum penalty allowed by law.

In addition to his prison sentence, Thomas was placed on five years of probation upon his release. He was also ordered to register as a Tier III sex offender and placed under lifetime supervision through COMET, which stands for Collaborative Offender Management/Enforced Treatment.

State's Attorney Sloane Franklin requested the maximum sentence and made clear what the outcome is meant to signal to others. "This sends a message to other sex offenders that your actions will not be tolerated, and you will be punished to the full extent of the law," Franklin stated.

The abuse took place over a span of five years before investigators with the then Federalsburg Police Department launched a thorough investigation into the case. Their work was a critical part of bringing the case to trial.

State's Attorney Franklin previously recognized the officers who worked to bring Thomas to justice. "I want to personally thank Detective Michelle Schuerholz and Sgt. Jeffrey Adams (currently with Greensboro Police Department) for their efforts in bringing this monster to justice," Franklin said.

The case was prosecuted by State's Attorney Sloane R. Franklin on behalf of the citizens of Caroline County.