Howard County Man Convicted In Sex Abuse Of His Girlfriend's Child: Prosecutor

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — A 35-year-old Ellicott City man has been found guilty in the sexual abuse of his girlfriend's child.

From 2015 to 2017, Anthony James Dispenza sexually abused his girlfriend's child, who was around 7 to 8 years old. The girl told her mother what was happening, but she wasn't believed, prosecutors said.

In 2023, the child found an adult who then told police and an investigation was launched. The girl told authorities that Dispenza had committed several acts of sexual abuse during the timeframe and was given access to her by her mother, Howard County prosecutors said.

A jury found Dispenza guilty of sexual abuse of a minor, second-degree sex offense and two counts of third-degree sex offense. He will be sentenced Nov. 8.