A Bel Air church deacon and former Catholic school teacher was arrested and charged with two counts of sexual solicitation of a minor after allegedly arranging to meet an undercover detective he believed was a 15-year-old boy. The arrest came out of a joint operation between the Harford County Sheriff's Office and the television program "Takedown," and it has drawn statements from the Archdiocese of Baltimore, two Catholic schools, and child abuse prevention advocates.
Kenneth Joseph Goedeke Jr., 45, of Bel Air, was arrested on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, after allegedly communicating with a Harford County Sheriff's Office detective who was posing online as a 15-year-old boy and then driving to a meeting location. He faces two counts of sexual solicitation of a minor, each carrying a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $25,000 fine. A judge ordered him held without bail the following day and barred him from contact with minors. Goedeke served as a deacon at St. Margaret Parish in Bel Air, began work at St. Ignatius Church in Hickory in July, and taught at The John Carroll School from 2020 until February 2026. The Archdiocese of Baltimore, citing law enforcement, says the charges are not connected to anyone at the parishes or schools where he served. He is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
What happened in the Bel Air deacon case?
A Harford County Sheriff's Office detective was running a proactive undercover investigation into online child solicitation on August 5 when a user identifying himself as "Ken" initiated contact with a decoy account on a hookup site. Investigators allege Goedeke kept communicating after being told directly that the person was 15 years old.
According to charging documents, he sent an explicit image, requested photos, took part in a phone call discussing sexual activity, and arranged an in-person meeting. He drove to the meeting location, waited briefly, and began to leave before deputies stopped him nearby and took him into custody. Detectives identified him through facial recognition and phone number registration.
Charging documents list Goedeke's occupation as director of evangelization and indicate he told officers he was working out of his St. Ignatius office when he messaged the account. He was charged with two counts of sexual solicitation of a minor.
What did the Harford County Sheriff's Office say?
Sheriff Jeffrey R. Gahler said the arrest left him "angry, disgusted, and deeply thankful." He described being angry that someone in a position of trust would attempt to victimize a child, disgusted that any adult would consider exploiting a child, and thankful that his detectives acted decisively and intervened before a child was harmed.
Sheriff's Office spokesperson Cristie Hopkins said the agency moved quickly to release information about the arrest in order to begin identifying any additional victims and to pursue related investigations. Detectives have asked anyone with information to come forward.
What is Kenneth Goedeke's history with the Archdiocese and Catholic schools?
Goedeke was ordained a permanent deacon in 2023 and served at several Harford County parishes before his arrest. According to the Archdiocese of Baltimore, he served at St. Patrick in Havre de Grace and St. Joan of Arc in Aberdeen before moving to St. Margaret Church in Bel Air in 2025, and he had just begun employment at St. Ignatius Church in Hickory in July 2026. He also worked at St. Isaac Jogues Church from 2005 through 2012.
His work with students goes back further than the parish record suggests. Before entering the diaconate, Goedeke taught religion for roughly eight years at Calvert Hall College High School, an all-boys Catholic school in Towson, where he received an award recognizing educators who exemplify the ideals of St. John Baptist de La Salle, the patron saint of teachers. A school representative, Danielle Hladky, said Goedeke left Calvert Hall voluntarily in 2020 and that no allegations were made against him during his time there.
He then taught at The John Carroll School in Bel Air from 2020 until February 2026. In a statement, the school said it could not comment on pending litigation but described the allegations against its former employee as "deeply concerning" and directly in conflict with the school's values and mission. The school also said Goedeke has not been employed there since February and no longer has any ties to the institution.
How has the Archdiocese of Baltimore responded?
Under archdiocesan policy, the Archdiocese removed Goedeke's faculties to function as a deacon and suspended him from ministry and employment pending the results of a full investigation. Its public statement said that a thorough employment screening, including an FBI and CJIS fingerprint criminal history check and a comprehensive background and reference check, was completed before his employment and before his enrollment as a deacon candidate.
A coalition representing survivors of clergy abuse responded to that statement with mixed reactions. The group singled out Sheriff Gahler for praise, saying officials too often minimize the damage predators cause and that he did not. It was sharply critical of the Archdiocese, calling its statement a "feeble attempt" at acknowledging the allegations that moved immediately to defending the institution by pointing to completed background checks and fingerprinting.
The Archdiocese is separately working through a clergy sexual abuse bankruptcy case. On August 4, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Michelle M. Harner rejected both the Archdiocese's proposed reorganization plan and a competing plan filed by the committee representing survivors, calling both "patently unconfirmable" and denying approval of the disclosure statements without prejudice. The ruling puts a September confirmation hearing in doubt in a case involving an estimated 900 to 1,000 abuse claims. Readers looking for the wider context can review our reporting on Maryland's Child Victims Act and the state's institutional abuse reckoning.
How does this connect to the Chris Hansen "Takedown" operation in Harford County?
Goedeke's arrest was not an isolated case. It came out of a weeklong joint operation between the Harford County Sheriff's Office and the team behind "Takedown," the program hosted by former "To Catch a Predator" host Chris Hansen. A sheriff's office spokesperson confirmed the partnership, and Sheriff Gahler announced Goedeke's arrest alongside a second arrest from the same operation.
That second arrest was Robert "Joe" Swarthout, 41, of Fallston, who told detectives he coaches baseball for Fallston Recreation and previously worked for a national tutoring company. Authorities say he used an online app to communicate with an undercover deputy presenting as a 15-year-old boy, continued after being repeatedly told the person's age, and was arrested when he arrived at a meeting location. He faces two felony counts related to solicitation of a minor.
This is the third time Hansen's team has worked with the sheriff's office. A November 2025 operation resulted in nine arrests, and deputies arrested a longtime Baltimore educator in a similar sting in May 2026. Gahler noted a shift in this round: earlier operations mostly caught people traveling into Harford County from elsewhere, while this one identified people living, working, and volunteering inside the county. Additional arrests connected to the operation have since been announced, and the sheriff's office has said more information will be released as it concludes.
What are child abuse prevention advocates saying?
Stacey Brown, executive director of The Family Tree, Maryland's leading child abuse and neglect prevention organization, told reporters that parents should stay actively engaged with what their children are doing online rather than assuming an app or a device is safe on its own. She recommended that parents check phones and computers regularly, get to know their children's friends, and watch for behavioral changes such as increased secrecy or irritability, which can signal that a child is being targeted or groomed.
Brown also encouraged parents to talk openly with children about online predators so that children recognize the warning signs themselves. She added that adults do not need certainty before reporting a concern. If something feels wrong, it is appropriate to report it and let a trained professional evaluate the situation.
How can parents protect children from online predators?
Direct, ongoing conversation is the most consistent recommendation from advocates responding to this case. Reviewing devices, knowing who children talk to online, and watching for withdrawal or secrecy are concrete steps caregivers can take this week, not only after news like this breaks.
Both men charged in this operation held positions built on the trust of families, which is the pattern communities find hardest to see. Programs like The Blue Ribbon Project's Speak Up...Speak Out Child Abuse Awareness Training Program teach parents, caregivers, and youth-serving adults how to recognize grooming behavior and respond to concerns before they escalate, whether the risk comes from someone a family already trusts or a stranger making first contact online. This case also echoes an earlier Maryland investigation we covered involving a Severn baseball trainer charged after an ICAC CyberTip investigation.
What happens next in the case?
Goedeke is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on September 4. He remains held without bail while the Harford County Sheriff's Office investigation continues.
Investigators are asking anyone with information, or anyone who believes they may have been a victim, to contact the sheriff's office dedicated tip line at
Because the sheriff's office has publicly asked potential additional victims to come forward, further charges are possible. Readers should treat any detail beyond what law enforcement, the courts, and the Archdiocese have confirmed as unverified. As in every criminal case, the charges are allegations, and Goedeke is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Kenneth Goedeke?
Kenneth Joseph Goedeke Jr., 45, of Bel Air, is a former Catholic deacon who served at parishes across Harford County and taught at The John Carroll School and, earlier, at Calvert Hall College High School. He was arrested on August 5, 2026, and charged with two counts of sexual solicitation of a minor.
What was Kenneth Goedeke charged with?
He faces two counts of sexual solicitation of a minor after allegedly arranging to meet an undercover Harford County detective he believed was a 15-year-old boy. Each count carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $25,000 fine. He is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Are the charges connected to St. Margaret Parish or The John Carroll School?
According to the Archdiocese of Baltimore, citing communications from law enforcement, the charges are not related to anyone at the parishes or schools where Goedeke served. The John Carroll School said he has not been employed there since February 2026 and no longer has ties to the institution.
Was this arrest part of the Chris Hansen "Takedown" operation?
Yes. Goedeke's arrest came out of a weeklong joint operation between the Harford County Sheriff's Office and Chris Hansen's "Takedown" team. A Fallston youth baseball coach was arrested in the same operation, and additional arrests have since been announced.
What should parents do if they suspect a child is being targeted online?
Child abuse prevention advocates recommend reviewing devices, knowing a child's online contacts, watching for secrecy or behavioral changes, and reporting any concern to law enforcement or a child protection hotline even without certainty.
How can someone report information related to this case?
Anyone with information or who believes they may be a victim is asked to email the Harford County Sheriff's Office tip line at
Sources and Resources
- Archdiocese of Baltimore: Statement on Kenneth Goedeke
- The Baltimore Banner: Bel Air deacon arrested on charges of sexual solicitation of a minor
- CBS Baltimore: Catholic Church deacon in Maryland arrested and charged with sex crimes
- Fox Baltimore: Bel Air man, former Catholic school teacher arrested for sexual solicitation of minor
- Patch: Child Sex Sting Leads To Arrest Of Church Deacon, Former Teacher
- Catholic Review: Deacon Goedeke suspended from ministry and employment following arrest
- WMAR: Harford County Sheriff confirms presence of Chris Hansen's "Takedown" team
- Maryland Daily Record: Judge rejects settlement plans by both Baltimore Archdiocese and abuse survivors