Ridgely, MD - In May 2023, the Caroline County Sheriff's Office, at the request of the Caroline County State's Attorney's Office, assumed an investigation (From the Ridgely Police Department) regarding the sexual abuse of a minor. A joint investigation was conducted with the Caroline County Sheriff's Office, Caroline County Department of Social Services, Caroline County Children's Advocacy Center, and Caroline County State's Attorney's Office.

As a result of the investigation, on August 14, 2023, David Bruce Whetstone of Ridgely, Maryland, was arrested on the following charges:

-Second Degree Rape
-Sexual Solicitation of a Minor
-Sex Abuse Minor - Continuing Course of Conduct
-Sex Abuse Minor - Family/Household Member
-Sex Offense Third-Degree
-Sex Offense Fourth Degree - Sex Contact
-Assault Second Degree
-Perverted Practice
-Cause Ingest Bodily Fluid

On February 28, 2024, David Bruce Whetstone of Ridgely, Maryland, entered an Alford plea to one count of Sex Abuse of a Minor - Continuing Course of Conduct.

On June 10, 2024, the Honorable Heather L. Price sentenced Whetstone to a maximum of 30 years, and ordered that Whetstone register as a Tier 3 Sex Offender and have lifetime sexual offender supervision, which includes being ordered to have GPS monitoring, polygraphs, and no contact with minor children.

State's Attorney Sloane R. Franklin prosecuted the case on behalf of the citizens of Caroline County.