Bail was set at $50,000 Wednesday for a former Aberdeen area resident who is accused of failing to properly register as a sex offender.
Brian Christopher Shumate, 46, was being held without bail at the Harford County Detention Center on three charges of allegedly failing to notify authorities of a change of address, failing to notify of a change of employer and failing to register as required for a tier III sexual offender, according to charging documents.
Shumate was convicted in Montgomery County, Pa., on May 25, 2005 of criminal attempt-involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and is required to register as a convicted sex offender in Maryland, the charging documents state. According to Pennsylvania court records, he pleaded guilty to that single charge and his victim was under the age of 16. He served jail time in Pennsylvania and also received 10 years supervised probation, which he transferred to Maryland, according to Pennsylvania court records.
He registered with the Harford County Sheriff's Office in November 2013 but then allegedly failed to re-register in February; Tier III offenders are required to do every three months, according to charging documents.
Sheriff's Office investigators were unable to locate Shumate at the original address at which he registered in the 500 block of Carsins Run Road in Aberdeen, according to charging documents. They also were unable to locate him at his listed employer in Joppa, according to the documents, nor was he found on another jurisdiction's registry in Maryland or out of state.
A warrant was issued on Feb. 25, and Shumate was arrested May 22, according to court records.
Shumate had a bail review before Harford County District Court Judge Victor Butanis who set the bail at $50,000. Shumate told the judge he has been living in Middle River with a friend from high school but had previously lived at the Carsins Run Road address. Court records also show a prior address in Pylesville.
Shumate also told Butanis he had not worked since March.
Shumate is listed on both the online sex offender registry maintained by the Harford County Sheriff's Office and on the online registry maintained by the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Corrections. The state registry lists his status as "absconder," further explaining: "An arrest warrant has been issued for this registrant. The registrant's residence is currently unknown to the information contact (agency) listed for this registrant."
During Wednesday's bail review, an assistant state's attorney requested that Shumate continue to be held without bond.
Shumate remained at the detention center Thursday. His trial is set for June 17 in District Court.