A 19-year-old Florida man met second-grade twin boys in Baltimore County through the popular gaming app Geometry Dash, then spent weeks pushing the boys toward private email exchanges that investigators say produced more than 500 messages before their parents discovered what was happening. Ross Bauman was sentenced this month to 40 years in prison with all but 16 years suspended, closing a case that began with a mobile game and ended with a cross-country extradition.
According to WBAL-TV, Bauman pled guilty to two counts of sex solicitation of a minor and two counts of producing child pornography, admitting he convinced the boys to email him inappropriate pictures and videos. Investigators with The Baltimore County Courtroom Observer say Bauman initially targeted an eight-year-old boy in January 2025 through the rhythm-based iPad game before shifting conversations to private email and persuading the child to bring his twin brother into the exchanges.
Forensic analysis of the victims' iPad, Bauman's phone, and his online accounts turned up the trove of more than 500 emails exchanged between Bauman and the twins before their parents found the messages in March 2025 and alerted law enforcement, according to the same outlet's reporting. That discovery set off an investigation that would eventually cross state lines.
A Multi-Agency Investigation Spanning Two States
The Department of Homeland Security assisted the Baltimore County Police Department's Crimes Against Children Unit in executing a search warrant at Bauman's home in Thonotosassa, Florida, in June 2025, per the Courtroom Observer's account. Bauman was extradited to Maryland in September 2025 to face charges tied to conduct he committed at age 19, according to WBAL-TV.
Prosecutors pushed for a stiffer punishment than what Bauman ultimately received. Assistant state's attorneys requested a 20-year sentence, arguing Bauman carried out a coordinated attack lasting weeks and asking the court to exceed Maryland's standard sentencing guidelines of two to 12 years, the Courtroom Observer reported. Circuit Court Judge James Rhodes ultimately imposed 40 years with all but 16 suspended — above the guideline range, but short of what prosecutors sought.
Defense attorney Justin Brown argued at the August sentencing that Bauman lived a sheltered life, suffered childhood sexual abuse, and ceased communication with the boys once he realized they could not consent, requesting a sentence at the low end of the guidelines, according to the Courtroom Observer. Judge Rhodes also ordered Bauman to register as a Tier II sex offender for 25 years and complete five years of supervised sex offender probation once his active prison term ends, per that outlet's reporting.
Statutory Penalties Under Maryland Law
Maryland law treats both offenses as serious felonies. Under Maryland Criminal Law Code Section 3-324, sexual solicitation of a minor carries a maximum penalty of up to 10 years for a first offense and up to 20 years for subsequent convictions, according to Justia. Separately, Maryland Criminal Law Code Section 11-207 makes it a felony to induce or allow a minor to produce child pornography, punishable by up to 10 years in prison and fines up to $25,000 for a first offense, the same legal reference source notes.
Advocates Urge Parents to Watch for Warning Signs
Adam Rosenberg, executive director of LifeBridge Health's Center for Hope in Baltimore, told WBAL-TV that parents should monitor their children's online interactions and be involved in all aspects of their kids' digital lives. He said parents should examine their children's email and browser history and have difficult conversations about who their children are talking to online, and should ask questions if a child suddenly starts acting differently or secretively.
Rosenberg emphasized that it is never too early to discuss internet safety with children, telling the station that even kids as young as grade-school age can be targeted and exploited online. The Center for Hope operates Baltimore's Child Advocacy Center, which traces its roots to 1987 as the Baltimore Child Abuse Center and was Maryland's first accredited child advocacy center, according to LifeBridge Health. The organization supports survivors of child abuse, domestic violence, and gun violence, per WBAL-TV's reporting.
Child safety advocates have highlighted the importance of parental vigilance in protecting children online, and national data suggest the problem is accelerating. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children's CyberTipline received 1.4 million reports of online child enticement in 2025, a 158% jump over 2024, according to MissingKids.org. The Baltimore County case adds a local, concrete example to that national trend — a reminder that the entry point for exploitation can be as ordinary as a game already installed on a child's iPad.
