A Frederick man is behind bars after detectives say he went online, communicated with, and sexually solicited a 13-year-old, triggering a full-scale criminal investigation. The Frederick County Sheriff's Office has identified the suspect as 37-year-old Steven Danko and charged him with nine counts of sexual solicitation of a minor. Deputies executed a search warrant at a home in the 5000 block of Merganser Court, seized numerous electronic devices, and booked Danko into the county adult detention center while the probe continues.
Arrest, search and charges
According to WFMD, deputies say the case began after the sheriff’s office received a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. Investigators executed a search warrant on Feb. 18 at the home tied to Danko and seized multiple electronic devices for forensic review, the sheriff’s office told the station. Danko was taken to the Frederick County Adult Detention Center and charged with nine counts of sexual solicitation of a minor, officials said.
How the CyberTipline works
The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children operates the CyberTipline as the national clearinghouse for reports of online child exploitation; electronic service providers and members of the public can file tips that NCMEC reviews and routes to the appropriate law-enforcement agency. According to NCMEC, analysts add technical and open-source details to try to locate where content originates before forwarding a report to local investigators. That process has helped drive a recent rise in online-enticement investigations nationwide.
Charges and penalties
Under Maryland law, sexual solicitation of a minor is a felony; a first offense carries up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $25,000, with harsher penalties for repeat offenses as laid out in Justia. The statute defines "solicit" broadly to include requests made by computer or any other electronic means. Danko faces nine counts under that statute, according to the sheriff’s office.
Next steps
The sheriff’s office says the investigation is ongoing and is asking anyone with information to contact authorities. Local reporting has previously listed the department’s anonymous tip hotline as 301-600-4131, per CBS Baltimore. The Frederick County Adult Detention Center lists the county jail at Frederick County Government and can be contacted via the facility main line for booking information.
