Maryland Judge Kills Himself Moments Before Arrest For Child Sex Abuse
A Maryland judge took his own life on Friday morning, soon as the feds popped up at his home to arrest him in a child sex abuse case.
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Caroline County Judge Jonathan Newell, 50, has been on a leave of absence since July after his investigation started. According to authorities, it has been allegations that he had hidden cameras in his bathroom to get pictures of naked boys.
Once the FBI showed up at his home on Friday, they found him “suffering from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound,” and was pronounced dead at 6:43 a.m
“Maryland State Police will lead the investigation into the apparent suicide,” prosecutors shared in a news release on Friday afternoon.
Kimberly Keith, who is Newell’s neighbor sent pictures to Facebook showing the FBI agents posted in front of the judge’s house demanding for him to come outside. Then she shared that she heard a gunshot not too long after the FBI arrives.
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According to the criminal complaint, investigators responded to a call that a boy had found a hidden camera in Newell’s bathroom. Following the call, authorities interviewed two boys, both minors who shared they “spent the night” at Newell’s home and discovered cameras in his bathroom on July 22nd.
Victims described showering at Newell’s home and almost all of them said that “while in the bathroom, Newell checked their bodies for ticks,” according to the complaint.
“At least two of the males stated they were naked when Newell checked them for ticks—one stated that he moved his genitalia for Newell to look for ticks, and the other initially did not recall if Newell touched his genitalia, but later stated that Newell once or twice moved the minor’s genitalia to look for ticks,” the complaint stated.