A former correctional officer at the Frederick County Adult Detention Center has been charged after a female inmate reported sexual contact with him earlier this year. Anthony Travis Spencer, 36, of Pasadena, Maryland, was charged with one misdemeanor count related to a correctional officer engaging in sexual contact with an inmate, according to court documents.
The allegation centers on an incident at the detention center on June 6, 2026, when Spencer is accused of having sexual contact with the female inmate, court documents say. As reported by The Frederick News-Post, the Frederick County Sheriff's Office conducted a criminal investigation in consultation with the Frederick County State's Attorney's Office. Spencer was suspended after the inmate's report and resigned while the investigation was still underway, the sheriff's office said.
What Investigators Say They Found
When questioned by investigators, the inmate denied having sexual contact with Spencer, court documents state, though she later acknowledged that he sometimes escorted her to the laundry room. Another correctional officer reported statements the inmate allegedly made about sexual encounters with Spencer, which the inmate denied making, while a third correctional officer reported observing the inmate near the laundry room on the evening of June 6 with her pants down while a correctional officer was present, according to the same court filings.
A correctional officer also told investigators that Spencer said the inmate had bent over and that he touched her buttocks, per the filings. The report notes that investigators reviewed surveillance footage and interviewed correctional officers as part of the probe.
Search of Spencer's Home, Phone Records
On July 1, investigators searched Spencer's residence in Pasadena with assistance from the Anne Arundel County Police Department. The search turned up Spencer's cellphone and papers related to inmates, which investigators seized, the outlet reported. An examination of the cellphone reportedly revealed internet searches concerning relationships between correctional officers and inmates, potential DNA evidence, and the legal consequences of such relationships.
An arrest warrant was issued August 30, 2026, and served on Spencer September 3, 2026; he was released on his own recognizance, the filings indicate. Prosecutors filed a criminal information formally charging Spencer with the misdemeanor offense on October 5 in Frederick County Circuit Court. His attorney, Peter S. O'Neill, has filed a motion to dismiss the case, citing alleged defects in the prosecution and the charging documents, according to the same court record.
Earlier 2024 Investigation Resurfaces
Court filings also referenced a previous 2024 investigation involving Spencer and another inmate. The inmate alleged that Spencer asked her to have sex, and the Sheriff's Office determined the allegation was unfounded. In August, prosecutors filed a motion seeking an arrest warrant; the warrant was issued August 30 and served September 3.
The Frederick County Sheriff's Office has a zero-tolerance policy on sexual contact or relationships between correctional staff and inmates, a standard that mirrors both agency policy and federal Prison Rape Elimination Act standards prohibiting such conduct. Under Maryland law, a person covered on a paid or volunteer basis may not engage in sexual contact, vaginal intercourse, or a sexual act with an incarcerated individual, according to the Maryland General Assembly.
No Other Officers Under Investigation, Sheriff's Office Says
Sheriff's office spokesperson Katie Robine said no other correctional officers were currently under investigation for alleged sexual misconduct at the detention center. Robine also noted that the sheriff's office did not issue a news release announcing Spencer's arrest or the investigation, the outlet's report states.
Spencer is scheduled for a pretrial conference on February 8, 2027, before Judge Julia A. Minner, followed by a jury trial set to begin April 5, 2027. The outcome of the pending motion to dismiss, along with the resolution of the case itself, remains to be determined as proceedings move forward.
