Overview

• Ricardo Sawyer, 38, was arrested and charged with multiple counts of rape, multiple counts of second-degree assault, and other offenses.
• A judge ordered Sawyer held without bond at his initial appearance on Wednesday, with a preliminary hearing set for Nov. 7 in Towson, and he is jailed at the Baltimore County Detention Center.
• Police say the probe began over the summer after reports from several minors, with alleged incidents in both Baltimore City and Baltimore County.
• Charging documents state Sawyer used the Instagram handle “Bmorerico,” offered cash and gifts for sex, and approached targets online as well as by handing out pamphlets and business cards.
• Multiple juvenile victims have been identified as the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force assists, and anyone with information is asked to call 410-887-7720 for the Crimes Against Children Unit.