Baltimore Attorney Facing Child Sex Charges
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- A Baltimore attorney, who doubles as a magician for children's birthday parties, is under arrest in Florida. Police say he was trying to have sex with an underage boy.
Derek Valcourt has details on the arrest.
Police say Howard Kalin of Essex thought he was arranging sex with a 14-year-old boy in Florida. In reality, he was chatting online with an undercover detective.
The arrest of Kalin, 47, spread rapidly through the Essex neighborhood where he lives with his wife and two teenage sons.
"I couldn't sleep last night after the 11:00 news when I saw. I have not slept all night," said one neighbor.
According to court charging documents, Kalin told an undercover police investigator posing as a child that he had seriously thought about his plan to have sex with whom he thought was a 14-year-old boy. On Monday, he flew to Florida to meet the boy, bringing a basketball as a gift and a box of condoms.
Kalin operates Funhouse Entertainment Agency in Lutherville. On the company's website they advertise clowns, magicians and other entertainers for parties and children's events. He himself is listed as a balloon artist and magician for children's parties.
When WJZ showed up Tuesday to ask some questions, we were told that the office was packed up and vacated in a hurry Tuesday morning. All signs for funhouse entertainment have been taken down and no one is answering their phones.
Police confiscated a computer and other evidence from Kalin's home on Anne Avenue in Essex Monday night. Family members did not answer the door.
Neighbors are worried about their own children.
"I've been very upset. First thing I did was talk to my little ones this morning," said one neighbor.
"It makes you stop and think. I got four grandkids and they're usually down here in my yard on the weekends and all. So it makes you stop and now you've got to worry about keeping an eye on all my neighbors," said Jerry Cusic.
"I feel bad for his boys, 'cause what are they going to think, 'My father's, something wrong with him.'" said another.
Baltimore County Police say they are aware of the charges and ask anyone in Maryland with concerns or information regarding the case to call their Crimes Against Children unit at 410-853-3650.
