Former Cecil County Deputy charged with revenge porn, misconduct

BALTIMORE -- A former Cecil County Sheriff's Deputy is accused of witness retaliation and spreading revenge porn during his tenure, according to the Office of the Maryland State Prosecutor. 

Kyle Thomas, 28, is facing 11 criminal charges, including Misconduct in Office, Witness Retaliation, Visual Surveillance with Prurient Intent, Revenge Porn and Distribution of Obscene Material.

Thomas served as a Cecil County Sheriff's Deputy from February 2021 until July 2023. 

The Cecil County Sheriff's Office learned about the allegations from a citizen in October 2022. That day, he was suspended by the department.

Thomas was then assigned to restricted non-law enforcement duty with no public contact during the investigation before he was released from his employment on July 18, 2023.

"Sheriff Scott Adams demands honesty and integrity from all members of the Cecil County Sheriff's Office," the Cecil County Sheriff's Office said in a statement. "The Cecil County Sheriff's Office will continue to investigate any unethical behavior from its members and hold anyone in violation accountable."  

According to charging documents, Thomas allegedly once took an explicit video of himself while on duty and sent it to a woman. 

When the woman notified the sheriff's office, Thomas allegedly contacted the victim's workplace and filed criminal charges against her. Those charges were dismissed. 

In a separate incident with a different woman, Thomas allegedly took photos and videos of sexual acts with the woman without her consent. Thomas allegedly threatened to spread the images if she ended their relationship. 

The charging document alleges Thomas sent those sexually explicit videos to dozens of different social media users, even paying some people to watch them.. 

Despite Thomas being ordered by the sheriff's office not to have contact with the victim, he allegedly continued to contact her both in-person and online. 

After getting a copy of a search warrant affidavit that had the victim's statements, Thomas allegedly sent and expletive-laden text with a photo of the affidavit to the woman. 

"Honesty and integrity is essential among our law enforcement officers," Maryland State Prosecutor Charlton Howard III said in a statement. "We will continue to investigate and, where appropriate, charge, individuals who engage in behavior that undermines the values of the offices they hold."  

Cecil County residents WJZ spoke with Tuesday on and off camera were shocked and disturbed by the allegations, including Cynthia Rawlings. She said it all puts her trust in the Cecil County Sheriff's Office in question.

"We put our trust in law enforcement to do the right thing, to set the example, because they're enforcing the law," Rawlings said.

Thomas is due in court for his first appearance on these charges on Oct. 24.