Salisbury Man Convicted of Child Sex Abuse and Rape

Wicomico County, MD - A Wicomico County jury has found a Salisbury man guilty of sexually abusing a child. Widler Etienne, 27, was convicted on November 10, 2026, after a two day trial in the Circuit Court for Wicomico County.

Senior Judge Donald C. Davis presided over the trial. The jury convicted Etienne of sexual abuse of a minor and two counts of second degree rape.

He was also found guilty of three counts of third degree sexual offense, three counts of fourth degree sexual offense, and three counts of second degree assault.

According to the Wicomico County State's Attorney's Office, the abuse happened in 2025. The child was under the age of 14 at the time and lived in Etienne's household.

Etienne hasn't been sentenced yet. Sentencing is on hold until a required presentence investigation and mental health assessment are finished and sent to the court. He will stay in custody until then.

Wicomico County State's Attorney Jamie L. Dykes shared a statement after the verdict. "When someone exploits a position of trust to sexually abuse a child, it is a profound betrayal of both that child and the trust placed in them. The young survivor in this case demonstrated extraordinary courage in coming forward and testifying at trial. Her strength, together with the jury's careful consideration of the evidence, ensured that the Defendant will be held accountable."

Several agencies worked on the case. Detective D. Schultz of the Wicomico County Sheriff's Office was the lead investigator.

Officer K. Carroll and Corporal C. Denny of the Salisbury Police Department also helped. So did Child Protective Services and members of the Wicomico County Child Advocacy Center.

Dykes thanked each of them for their work on the investigation. Dykes also praised Senior Assistant State's Attorney Michael Calabrese, who prosecuted the case.