A retired Prince George's County firefighter avoided prison Tuesday, receiving five years of probation in a decades-old rape and child-abuse case tied to alleged assaults in the 1990s, according to court records. John Inman, 63, pleaded guilty to a third-degree sex offense after prosecutors said he repeatedly assaulted a junior firefighter between 1991 and 1996, when the victim was a teenager. The court also ordered Inman to register as a sex offender.
Court officials and records show the plea and sentence came after a sweeping indictment that initially listed 25 counts. According to FOX 5 DC, Inman admitted guilt on just one of those counts - a third-degree sex offense - and was given five years of supervised probation. He retired from the Prince George's County Fire/EMS Department in 2017.
Detectives with the Prince George's County Police Child and Vulnerable Adult Abuse Unit opened the investigation in July 2024. A warrant was issued in May 2025, and Inman surrendered to authorities later that month, the county said. Prosecutors initially moved forward with multiple charges before the case was resolved through the plea, according to the county's statement.
Charging documents cited by WTOP say the alleged assaults took place at several locations, including Inman's home, the Hyattsville Fire Station on Belcrest Road, and at times inside classrooms at the University of Maryland. The documents state the victim was between 13 and 17 years old during the period from 1991 to 1996.
Department response and safeguards
The Prince George's County Fire/EMS Department said it had no prior knowledge of the allegations and has been cooperating with investigators while reviewing and updating rules for junior volunteers. "We take every allegation seriously and will continue to do everything in our power to prevent harm and support those affected," Fire Chief Tiffany Green said in a statement, according to a press release from Prince George's County.
Legal outcome and what it means
As part of the resolution, Inman pleaded guilty to a single third-degree sex offense. The five-year probation sentence spares him prison time but requires him to register as a sex offender and comply with supervision conditions. Prosecutors had originally filed more serious counts, including second-degree rape, child-abuse and perverted practice, before the plea deal was reached, according to FOX 5 DC.
Investigators are urging anyone with information related to the case to contact the Prince George's County Police Child and Vulnerable Adult Abuse Unit at 301-772-4930 or submit tips through PGCrimeSolvers, according to WTOP. For more background on how the case first surfaced, see earlier coverage of the original allegations.
