Fruitland man sentenced to 10 years in prison for molesting child

A Fruitland, Maryland man has been slapped with 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to molesting a child under the age of 5.

72-year-old Bruce Earl Fowler is currently serving a 15 year sentences for two 2014 convictions in Wicomico County.

Fowler pleaded guilty last week to one count of sexual abuse of a minor and was sentenced Tuesday to 10 years in prison, according to the Wicomico County State’s Attorney’s Office.

Prosecutors say during the summer of 2013, Fowler molested a child who was under the age of 5 when the crime occurred.

Fowler’s 2014 convictions were the result of his sexual abuse of a minor of two victims, both under the age of 8 at the time of the abuse.

Wicomico County State’s Attorney Jamie L. Dykes commended the members of Wicomico County Child Advocacy Center (CAC) for their work in the investigation, specifically thanking Salisbury Police Department Detective K. Oppel and Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office Detective D. Schultz, the lead investigators, both assigned to the CAC.

“We will seek justice on behalf of every victim, especially our most vulnerable citizens, whenever acts of violence are committed against them. Fowler abused his authority over these children for his own perversion, thereby sentencing them to life,” Dykes said. “We are grateful for the team who investigated this case, Sr. ASA Karsnitz for her prosecution and hope that Judge Seaton’s sentence serves as a deterrent to every person who would do a child harm in this county.”