Forest Hill man convicted of sexually assaulting and providing alcohol to 16-year-old

Jason Fontelieu, The Aegis, Bel Air, Md.
Updated ·2 min read
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Feb. 1—A Forest Hill man was convicted Monday of sexually assaulting and providing alcohol to a minor.

After an investigation by the Harford County Sheriff's Office and trial, Steven Friedman, 40, was convicted of second-degree rape, third-degree sexual offense, second-degree assault and allowing underage consumption. Friedman lured a 16-year-old into his home where he provided her alcohol and sexually assaulted her on Feb. 18, 2022, according to a news release from the Office of the State's Attorney for Harford County.

Judge Yolanda Curtin remanded Friedman to the Harford County Detention Center after the bench trial in the Circuit Court for Harford County. He faces up to 20 years in prison. Sentencing will be scheduled after the completion of a pre-sentence investigation, the Office of the State's Attorney for Harford County said.

The victim testified during the trial that she regularly takes walks and a man, identified as Friedman, approached her, stating he had been watching her take walks and thought she was very attractive, the release said. Friedman invited the victim into his home and provided her alcohol, the release said. While in the residence, Friedman reached under her clothes. The victim testified she was too intoxicated to say no, and Friedman overcame her attempts to resist and sexually assaulted her without her consent.

During the incident, Friedman's family came home, and Friedman interacted with them before escorting the victim out of the residence undetected, the release said. The victim preserved video evidence of Friedman providing her alcohol and confirming the sexual contact.

Friedman was interviewed by members of the Harford County Sheriff's Office's Criminal Investigative Division and admitted to providing the victim alcohol and to the sexual contact, the release said.

After the court's verdict, Harford State's Attorney Alison Healey said in the release: "The conviction of Steven Friedman for this heinous and predatory crime gives the victim of this case closure to a difficult chapter that no individual deserves, and especially not a child. We will be seeking a maximum sentence to ensure this sexual predator is removed from our community for the protection of other children and our citizens. I commend the victim and her family for reporting the assault and for the bravery she exhibited by testifying at trial."