Anne Arundel County Circuit Court

By Zak Failla From Daily Voice

A Maryland man who groomed young girls and entered into an ongoing relationship with one received the maximum sentence.

Christopher Steven McGee, 36, of Gambrills, was sentenced to 20 years in prison after being convicted of second-degree rape involving a child earlier this year, the Anne Arundel County State's Attorney's Office announced on Friday.

A probe was launched by police in December 2023 into reported child sex abuse involving McGee, then 34, and the 12-year-old girl, who was her boyfriend's stepfather.

Prosecutors said that the investigation revealed a pattern of grooming and manipulation by the defendant to convince the child to engage in a relationship with him.

During the investigation, officials said that detectives collected evidence of the "relationship," including a photo of him kissing the girl and "explicit social media communications." 

They also uncovered a nude photo of McGee, which was found in the girl's possession.

At trial, the prosecutors called a witness who was previously sexually abused by McGee when she was 12 years old in 2011. 

The abuse took place in Texas, where McGee had been stationed with the US military. 

McGee served seven years in prison for aggravated sexual abuse of a minor and sodomy in that case. He was also dishonorably discharged from the military.

"(McGee's) behavior is both shocking and disturbing in how he manipulated a young, vulnerable girl to believe that they were in love," State's Attorney Anne Colt Leitess said after the guilty verdict. 

"It is particularly concerning because he molested another 12-year-old girl in Texas," she noted. "His prison time and registration as a sex offender apparently did not deter him from reoffending. 

In addition to his prison term, a judge also ordered that McGee register as a Tier III sex offender for life. 

"This young survivor showed tremendous courage, and the evidence made unmistakably clear that McGee posed a serious and ongoing threat to children," Leitess said. "The court’s sentence reflects the gravity of his actions and the danger he presents." 

"Our office will always stand with survivors of sexual abuse and work tirelessly to safeguard those who cannot protect themselves.”