EASTON – Maryland State Prosecutor Charlton T. Howard III announced on April 4 that an Easton Police Department sergeant has been charged with two counts of Misconduct in Office.

According to the charging document, Sergeant Jason Dyott, who served as a sworn law enforcement officer with the Easton Police Department since approximately June 2008, used his departmental cellular telephone to communicate in a sexual manner with several teenagers and students at local high schools in Talbot County.

The charging document alleges that in approximately November 2022, Sergeant Dyott began communicating with Teenage Victim #1 via the Snapchat application. Sergeant Dyott leveraged his position as a police officer to engage in a sexual relationship with Teenage Victim #1, and he sent her multiple photographs which contained sexually provocative language and depicted him in his police uniform. On November 13, 2022, Sergeant Dyott was on duty as a sworn law enforcement officer with the Easton Police Department, and while on duty and in uniform, he met with Teenage Victim #1 and allegedly made out with her in his police vehicle. After Sergeant Dyott became aware of an investigation being conducted pertaining to his sexual contact with one or more high school students, he conducted the following internet searches on his personal cell phone, among others: “legal consent sex age in md” and “Maryland Child Pornography Penalties,” the prosecutor’s statement said.

The charging document further alleges that in approximately November 2022, Sergeant Dyott began communicating with another young female, identified as “Teenage Victim #2,” via his departmental cellular telephone, and sent her photographs of himself posed in his police uniform. On November 11, 2022, Sergeant Dyott picked up Teenage Victim #2 from a residence and engaged in sexual intercourse with her inside of his patrol vehicle.

A statement from the Easton Police Department said, “The Easton Police Department is aware of the charges against Jason Dyott. We acknowledge that this was the result of a time-consuming investigation led by the Talbot County Sherriff’s Office and the Special Prosecutor’s Office of Maryland. Every member of the police department is disheartened and very disappointed in the allegations and the resulting charges. However, we want to assure everyone that the actions of Jason Dyott do not reflect the standards and commitment towards public safety and service by the other men and woman of this agency. Jason Dyott’s employment status remains suspended while the police department complies with the processes set forth by the Police Accountability Act. Until that conclusion, no further comments can be made.”

A copy of the charging document can be found at https://osp.maryland.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/04/DYOTTCriminalINFORMATION.4.3.24.pdf