Kent County Man Faces Federal Child Sexual Exploitation Charges

KENT COUNTY, MD - A federal grand jury has returned an indictment against Stephen Nicholas Westcott, 35, of Kennedyville, Maryland. The charges include Sexual Exploitation of a Child, Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse Material, Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material, and Illegal Possession of an Unregistered Silencer.

Law enforcement arrested Westcott in Manistee County, Michigan, after he fled Maryland to avoid arrest when a warrant was issued in February 2025.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment alongside multiple law enforcement agencies.

The announcement was made with Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno from the Federal Bureau of Investigation Baltimore Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Colonel Roland L. Butler, Jr. from the Maryland State Police, James A. Dellmyer from Cecil County, and Bryan DiGregory from Kent County.

Details of the Charges

The 13-count indictment alleges that Westcott produced sexually explicit images of a young child under the age of 5. Investigators claim he communicated and distributed child sexual abuse materials through various internet platforms including Snapchat, Discord, and Telegram.

Authorities also found that Westcott maintained a collection of child sexual abuse material on his personal electronic devices.

Potential Sentencing

If convicted, Westcott faces severe penalties under federal law. Each count of Sexual Exploitation of a Child carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison.

Each count of Distribution of Child Pornography carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and a maximum sentence of 20 years.

Additionally, Westcott faces a maximum sentence of 20 years for each count of Possession of Child Pornography and a maximum 10-year sentence for the count of Possession of an Unregistered Silencer. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties.

A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Legal Presumption and Project Safe Childhood

An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.

This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.

Led by the United States Attorney's Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, ATF, and MSP for their work in the investigation, and the Manistee County Sheriff's Office and FBI Detroit for their valuable assistance. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen E. McGuinn who is prosecuting the federal case.

Disclosure: All individuals mentioned are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Eastern Shore Undercover® does not express or imply any opinion regarding the incident reported.