Summer Nichole McCroskey, Sex Abuse of Infant, Maryland 2023

Baltimore, Maryland – In a shocking case of child abuse, Cecil County woman, Summer Nichole McCroskey, has been sentenced to 80 years in federal prison for her role in the sexual abuse of an infant. The 25-year-old woman from Elkton, Maryland, was arrested in February 2022 and has been detained since then.

McCroskey pleaded guilty to 16 counts, including conspiracy to sexually abuse a child, production and distribution of child pornography, and possession of child pornography. She admitted to sexually abusing the child, starting from the age of four months to two years old, along with her co-conspirator, Lawrence Aquilla Colby, IV. The abuse was documented in videos and images that were distributed to others using an encrypted messaging application.

The case was brought to light after international law enforcement agencies and the FBI in Baltimore collaborated to investigate the abuse. Videos documenting the child’s abuse were seen by international law enforcement partners on internet platforms as early as May 2020. The FBI connected the videos to McCroskey’s social media account in February 2022, leading to her arrest and the arrest of her co-conspirator, Colby.

Colby, 34, also pleaded guilty and faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years in federal prison for conspiracy to sexually exploit a child and for each of five counts of sexual exploitation of a child. He also faces a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for possession of child pornography. His sentencing is scheduled for August 15, 2023.

The case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. The initiative marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and to identify and rescue victims.

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI, Cecil County State’s Attorney’s Office, and Cecil County Sheriff’s Office for their work in the investigation. He thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul E. Budlow and Colleen E. McGuinn for prosecuting the case.

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