A former Maryland state delegate is facing federal child pornography charges and could serve up to 10 years in prison if convicted, prosecutors announced Tuesday.
Robert Alan McKee, a 59-year-old Republican from Washington County, had images documenting the sexual abuse of children on his computer in his Hagerstown home, prosecutors said. Federal prosecutors filed a “criminal information” charge against the former legislator. A criminal information charge has the advantage of being amended whereas an indictment does not.
Washington County State’s Attorney Charles P. Strong Jr. said McKee also could face state charges.
“We have not finalized that decision,” Strong said. “We are waiting to see what the immediate future brings.”
McKee, who had been a member of Maryland’s House of Delegates since 1994, resigned from office in February after authorities raided his home, seizing several computers, videotapes and printed materials. At the time, the former chairman of the Western Maryland delegation of lawmakers from Carroll, Frederick, Washington, Allegany and Garrett counties released a statement saying he was “seeking treatment.”
McKee could not be reached by press time Tuesday. He faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, according to Maryland U.S. Attorney Rod Rosenstein.
State lawmakers including House Minority Leader Anthony J. O’Donnell expressed shock at the charges.
“Of course the whole motion of this has been disappointing from the beginning, but I think in the end the system is working,” O’Donnell said Tuesday. “Justice has a process to deal with this, and we should allow the justice system to deal with the situation.”
McKee also resigned as executive director of a mentoring program for youth. Earlier this year, he sponsored legislation including the Child Protection From Predators Act, which would eliminate sentence reductions for incarcerated child sex offenders.
Rosenstein said McKee is not in custody. No court appearance has been scheduled.
Examiner Staff Writer Luke Broadwater contributed to this report.
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