February 26th, 2018 by WCBC Radio
On February 5th, an incident of suspected sexual child abuse was reported to the Allegany County Department of Social Services-Child Protective Services. Enough information was reported that a joint investigation was initiated at that time with the Allegany County Combined Criminal Investigation Unit (C3I).
The joint investigation revealed that a 16 year old male student at Mt. Ridge High School had been sexually assaulted by a person employed as a custodian by the Allegany County Board of Education. The suspect had previously worked as a part time evening custodian at Mountain Ridge High School, after school hours. At the time of the alleged assault, the suspect worked at another school site, and since the incident occurred, is no longer employed by the Allegany County Public Schools.
The investigation further revealed that the suspect also worked with this particular student in extracurricular school theater related functions, as a person in a position of authority over the student victim. They were also involved in several non-school related theater activities in the community together.
Investigators learned through interviews and the review of social media that the suspect had inappropriate sexual contact with the student while the victim was at the suspect's residence, after both had been at one of the non-school related functions earlier in the evening.
The Allegany County State's Attorney's Office presented the case to the Allegany County Grand Jury, and an indictment was issued for the suspect, 24 year old Michael Thomas McKenzie, of Frostburg. McKenzie was charged with 2nd Degree Rape and 4th Degree Sex Offense, for the sexual abuse of a minor student by a person in a position of authority.
McKenzie was arrested on February 26th by the Allegany County Sheriff's Office, and is currently being held at the Allegany County Detention Center pending an initial appearance before a Circuit Court Judge.
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