HENDERSON, Md.- An Eastern Shore of Maryland judge is dead in an apparent suicide that happened when the FBI was set to arrest him on child sexual exploitation charges.
FBI agents went to the home of Caroline County Circuit Court Judge Jonathan Newell, 50, in Henderson, Md., early Friday morning.
“Upon entering the residence the agents found Newell suffering from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound,” a joint statement from Acting Maryland U.S. Attorney Jonathan Lenzner and other officials said. “He was pronounced dead at 6:43 a.m. Maryland State Police will lead the investigation into the apparent suicide.”
According to a federal affidavit unsealed Friday, investigators from Maryland State Police went to a cabin in Fishing Creek, Md., on Hoopers Island on July 23 after a minor found a video camera in the bathroom, took photos of it with his cellphone and called his parents.
Police arrived and interviewed two minors. One of the minors said the two had spent the night at the cabin, along with a man and four other boys. Investigators interviewed Newell at the cabin the same day, according to the affidavit. Newell waived his Miranda rights and agreed to be interviewed. He told police that 10 “members” had access to the cabin who “come and go.” Newell also denied placing a camera in the bathroom and claimed he never saw one, the affidavit said.
According to the affidavit, Newell went to his bedroom after the interview to plug in his cellphone and make calls. Investigators observed him reaching under his bed and placing his fist up to his mouth. They said they heard a loud, distinguishable, “crunch,” sound coming from Newell’s mouth. Investigators suspected that Newell had ingested evidence because a memory card from a box with camera equipment appeared to be missing. He was taken to a hospital for CT scans, which showed he had ingested a metallic object, according to the affidavit.
Authorities executed search warrants at Newell's cabin, truck, boat and office and seized numerous digital devices. Investigators found an external hard drive in a safe at Newell's home that showed videos of boys showering, the affidavit said.
“In some of the videos, Newell is seen setting up the camera in the bathroom,” the affidavit said. The FBI interviewed several boys who said they had been to the cabin with Newell and that he had checked their naked bodies for ticks while in the bathroom.
Newell had been on paid leave for more than a month. He had served as Caroline County's sole Circuit Court judge since 2016, after being appointed to that position by Gov. Larry Hogan. The Republican ran for election in 2018 and won. It was during his election campaign that nearly 50 of his campaign signs were vandalized. Someone plastered the signs with stickers that read "corrupt" in all uppercase letters. At the time, Newell said he had no idea who or why someone would target him and his supporters.
Before becoming a judge, Newell served as Caroline County's state's attorney since 2003.
The full criminal complaint can be read here.
FBI and police parked in front of the Henderson, Md., home of Caroline County Circuit Court Judge Jonathan Newell. (Photo: WBOC)
