Firefighter accused of raping boys

BALTIMORE - A Baltimore County firefighter has been charged with sexually abusing teens, and police are looking to find other potential victims.

Provided

A 23-year-old Owings Mills man has been charged with sexually abusing two 14-year-old boys last spring.

Anthony Maurice Cottle, of the unit block of Stonemark Court, Owings Mills, 21117, faces five charges: sexual abuse of a minor, fourth-degree sex offense, second degree assault, third-degree sex offense and sodomy.

He currently is held at the Baltimore County Detention Center on $150,000 bond.

One of the victims contacted the Baltimore County Police Department last week and reported that Cottle had abused him while living with the boy's family in the 21227 zip code in Precinct 1/Wilkens. In addition, the victim told police he witnessed Cottle abusing one of his friends, also a 14-year-old boy, in the boy's home.

The investigation shows that both boys were abused between May 1, 2012 and June 1, 2012.

The investigation is open and active. Police believe there are other victims and ask anyone with additional information to contact the Crimes Against Children Unit at 410-853-3650; after hours, contact police at 410-307-2020.

Since December 2011, Cottle has been employed with the Baltimore County Fire Department as a probationary firefighter. He has been suspended without pay pending adjudication of the criminal charges.

Cottle is also listed as an active volunteer with the Lansdowne Volunteer Fire Department. The president of Lansdowne VFD, Krystal Fabian, reports that the company has suspended Cottle pending adjudication of the criminal case.