BEL AIR (MD)
WBALTV 11 [Baltimore, MD]
August 7, 2026
By Barry Simms, Tori Yorgey
A teacher and church deacon was arrested on two counts of sexual solicitation of a minor, according to the Harford County Sheriff’s Office.
Kenneth Goedeke, 45, of Bel Air, was taken into custody Wednesday after communicating and arranging to meet with an undercover detective whom he believed to be a 15-year-old boy allegedly to engage in sexual activity with the child, the sheriff’s office said.
A judge on Thursday denied bail for Goedeke.
According to the Archdiocese of Baltimore, Goedeke served as a deacon at St. Margaret Parish and he started working at St. Ignatius Church in Hickory in July. Citing law enforcement, the archdiocese said the charges against Goedeke are not related to anyone at the parishes or schools where he served.
Per archdiocesan policy, Goedeke has been removed as a deacon and is suspended him from ministry and employment, pending an investigation.
The archdiocese said Goedeke was ordained as a deacon in 2023 and that he served at St. Patrick Havre de Grace and St. Joan of Arc in Aberdeen before working at St. Margaret Church in Bel Air starting in 2025. Goedeke previously worked at St. Isaac Jogues Church from 2005-2012 and John Carroll High School from 2020-2026.
The archdiocese said a comprehensive background and reference check was completed before Goedeke was hired and before his enrollment as a deacon candidate.
The sheriff seeks parents and caregivers to talk openly with children about the broader dangers posed by trusted adults who misuse their positions and by online predators who target our youth.
“I’m happy we removed another sex offender from the community,” Harford County Sheriff Jeff Gahler told WBAL-TV 11 News. “It’s a deacon at a local Catholic Church. (I’m) disappointed we keep seeing these men, so far men, trying to have sexual encounters with children. It’s a sickening thing. We will continue these operations to find and identify these people and charge them criminally.”
Advocates call for action after deacon’s arrest
Abuse prevention advocates are calling for victims to come forward and sharing advice for parents after Geodeke, was arrested for sexual solicitation of a minor.
Video below: Survivor groups respond to Bel Air deacon charged. See original article for video.
“It’s unfortunate whenever we hear about incidents of child abuse and or neglect,” said Stacey Brown, executive director of The Family Tree, Maryland’s child abuse prevention organization.
Brown emphasized the importance of parental vigilance, saying, “As parents, you have to make sure that you’re really paying attention, making sure that you’re walking by that screen to check what’s happening on that computer and or that phone. Also checking the phone and the computer, making sure that you know your children’s friends.”
She also highlighted warning signs such as increased secrecy or irritability in children and stressed the need to educate them about online predators.
“Making sure you educate them around those things. There’s a lot of different apps and things parents can use as well to help sort of monitor behavior, monitor the behavior, what’s happening online,” Brown said.
The Abuse Survivor Coalition also weighed in, encouraging victims to come forward and criticizing the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s response to Geodeke’s arrest. In a statement, the coalition said,
“The archdiocese of Baltimore released a statement after Geodeke’s arrest. Sadly, it was a feeble attempt at acknowledging his actions, and already defending itself citing that background checks and fingerprints were done. There was no information as to whether previous complaints were made regarding Geodeke, but he was suddenly terminated from John Carroll High School months ago, and we can only question why.”
Brown urged people to trust their instincts when something feels off.
“You don’t have to always know exactly what’s going on, but if you get that little icky feeling, it’s okay to make a report and let someone know,” she said.
Earlier this week, a federal judge rejected plans to resolve the bankruptcy filed by attorneys representing clergy sex abuse victims and the Archdiocese of Baltimore. Both sides are returning to mediation, with another hearing scheduled for next month.
Anyone who has information, or who may believe they may have been a victim, is asked to reach out to the sheriff’s office via a dedicated email tip line at cactips@harfordsheriff.org.
The archdiocese seeks anyone who knows of child sexual abuse to contact law enforcement, and if clergy or other church personnel are involved, to also call the archdiocese’s Office of Child and Youth Protection at 866-417-7469.