EDGEWOOD, MD—A Harford County jury has convicted an Edgewood man of three counts of sex abuse of a minor, concluding a lengthy legal battle that included two previous mistrials.

Harold Ferguson, 49, was found guilty in the Circuit Court for Harford County following a four-day criminal jury trial before Judge Alex M. Allman. The verdict comes after two prior trials resulted in hung juries and a contentious motions hearing regarding the admissibility of other sexually assaultive behavior evidence.

Prosecutors presented evidence at trial showing that Ferguson sexually abused his then-minor stepdaughter almost daily in the family’s Edgewood home between August 2004 and August 2008. The abuse began when the victim was six years old, when the family resided in Baltimore City, and continued until she was a senior in high school.

Testimony revealed that when the family moved to Harford County, Ferguson would abuse the victim in the basement when other family members were not home. Evidence also showed that Ferguson would punish the victim by taking away her possessions and her bedroom door if she refused his advances.

Detective Horner of the Harford County Sheriff’s Office testified about the investigation, including an interview with the victim’s boyfriend in 2021. The boyfriend told the detective that he had been part of a threesome with Ferguson and the victim when they were around 16 years old, and a recording of his statement describing the victim performing oral sex on Ferguson in the family’s basement was played for the jury. Detective Horner also testified that the victim’s mother was uncooperative and failed to attend a follow-up interview concerning the abuse.

The victim herself testified, recounting a physical altercation involving mace that occurred when she refused Ferguson’s advances. She stated that the family then went to a friend’s home in Baltimore City, where she confided in her mother about the abuse. An individual present at that disclosure testified that the victim’s mother did not call 911, take the child to the hospital, or console her. Testimony also revealed that after the family fight, the victim’s mother had her confront Ferguson, who told the mother, “She came on to me.”

The victim’s mother testified for the defense, stating she did not recall a fight at the family home. In rebuttal, the State played an interview of Ferguson where he told Detective Horner there was a physical altercation involving himself, the victim, and her mother.

Following the conviction, Harford County State’s Attorney Alison M. Healey praised Assistant State’s Attorney Becky Malkowski for her “perseverance and determination.”

“Delayed report cases are some of the toughest cases we try,” Healey said in a statement. “She never gave up, and she truly is a champion for child sexual abuse victims. Her determination, along with the work of all the dedicated staff of the Harford County Child Advocacy Center, ensured that justice was served today and that a predator will no longer be in a position to victimize another child.”

Photo by Sora Shimazaki from Pexels

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