A civilian employee, serving as a chaplain at the Harford County Detention Center, was terminated Tuesday after he was indicted by a Harford County grand jury on charges of second-degree assault, fourth-degree sex offense and misconduct in office, the Harford County Sheriff's Office said in a news release Thursday morning.
Rev. Kennis Andrew Rolle Sr., 59, assigned to the detention center in Bel Air, was suspended by a Harford County Sheriff's Office commander on March 8 after allegations of inappropriate conduct were made against him, according to the Sheriff's Office, which operates the detention center.
"He was a trusted employee of the sheriff's office," Maj. William Davis, commander of the police operations bureau, said during a press briefing Thursday morning.
Investigators from the Sheriff's Office's Criminal Investigations Division and Office of Professional Standards initiated parallel investigations into the allegations, the Sheriff's Office said. Information developed during the criminal investigation was provided to the Harford County State's Attorney's Office which, according to the Sheriff's Office, conducted a follow-up investigation to determine the appropriate charges.
During the investigation, the Sheriff's Office said, detectives identified two female victims, ages 31 and 26. Both women alleged that during scheduled and unscheduled counseling sessions in the chaplain's office, Rolle would touch them.
The first victim came forward through the intelligence division at the detention center, Davis said. The second victim was found during the investigation, he said.
"We are continuing that investigation to see if there are any others out there at this time. We don't know of any at this time, but if there is anyone else who was there who has allegations we certainly want to know about them," Davis said.
This touching allegedly included unwanted and unwelcome hugs, kisses on the forehead and cheek, playing with hair and touching of the buttocks on the outside of their clothing, according to the Sheriff's Office's news release. The alleged inappropriate contact occurred during the fall of 2014 and again between December 2015 and February 2016, the Sheriff's Office said.
"We hold all agency members to the highest level of integrity. I am deeply disappointed that someone who has been put in a position of confidence to assist people during vulnerable points of their lives, has violated that trust. This type of behavior will not be tolerated in this agency," Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler said in a statement.
Rolle, who lives in Middle River, has been employed as a chaplain with the Harford County Sheriff's Office since Sept. 17, 2012
He could not be reached for comment Thursday.
According to the Sheriff's Office, Rolle turned himself in at the Harford County Detention Center without incident late Wednesday afternoon and was released on a pre-set bail of $50,000.
Anyone who has any information pertaining to this case, or who feels they may have been a victim, is asked to call Det. Christopher Maddox of the Harford County Sheriff's Office, Criminal Investigations Division at 443-409-3551.