Overview
- Matthew Mahl, a Metropolitan Police Department lieutenant, was arrested in Harford County after traveling on Tuesday to meet someone he believed was a 15-year-old boy.
- Charging documents say he sent explicit messages and photos over several weeks to an undercover deputy on Reddit and acknowledged the teen’s age during the exchanges.
- Investigators say Mahl used his real name, identified himself as an MPD lieutenant, shared a photo in uniform, and sent a sexually suggestive image from his work office.
- The department placed him on administrative leave, said it was not aware of the probe before the arrest, and announced Internal Affairs will review policy violations after the criminal case.
- Media reports note he is a 23-year MPD veteran, previously chaired the DC police union as its first openly gay leader, and most recently served in special operations tied to high-level security details.