A 47-year-old Mtn. Lake Park man was arrested Tuesday on a district court warrant charging him with fourth-degree sex offense, second-degree assault and sexual abuse of a minor. Michael Paul Shahan was taken to the Garrett County Detention Center following the arrest and was later released on an unsecured bond.
According to WV News, the arrest stemmed from a joint investigation carried out by the Garrett County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigation Division, Child Protective Services and the Garrett County State's Attorney's Office. Shahan is presumed innocent, and no further details about the allegations or underlying evidence have been released.
Sheriff Credits Multi-Agency Effort
Garrett County Sheriff Bryson Meyers reported the arrest and thanked the agencies involved for their cooperation and investigative efforts, per the same report. Meyers said detectives, Child Protective Services investigators and the State's Attorney's Office worked together to bring the case to what he called a successful closure.
“Their efforts and cooperation continue to help protect the children in our communities,” Meyers said, according to the report.
What the Charges Involve
Maryland's criminal code, as excerpted on the Maryland General Assembly website, notes that sexual abuse under state law includes sexual offense in any degree, though the statute text does not detail how it applies to this specific case. No case number, hearing date or plea has been made public, and the article does not resolve the circumstances behind the warrant.
The case remains in its early stages following Shahan's release on unsecured bond, and no additional court proceedings have been reported at this time.
