SNOW HILL — An Ocean City man, who pleaded guilty in September to three counts of possession of child pornography following a months-long investigation dating back to 2017, was granted probation before judgment on Wednesday and will be on supervised probation for two years.
Jarrett John Wise, now 53, of Ocean City, was indicted last January by a Worcester County grand jury on five counts of felony distribution of child pornography and 50 total counts of misdemeanor possession of child pornography. In September, Wise pleaded guilty to three counts of misdemeanor possession of child pornography and sentencing was deferred upon the completion of a pre-sentence investigation.
Each of the misdemeanor counts to which Wise pleaded guilty carried maximum penalties of up to five years in prison or a $2,500 fine or both. Back in court in Snow Hill on Wednesday, Wise was granted probation before judgment on each count and was placed on supervised probation for two years.
The charges against Wise date back as early as October 2017 including the felony counts of distribution of photographs of a minor engaged in sexual conduct. The indictment also includes 50 counts of possession of photographs depicting an individual under age 16 engaged in sexual conduct, possession of videos depicting an individual under age 16 engaged in sexual conduct and possession of visual representations of an individual under the age of 16 engaged in sexual conduct.
In May 2019, the national Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program reportedly provided a tip to the Worcester County Bureau of Investigation (WCBI) about Wise’s alleged activities. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) reportedly received a similar tip and collaborated with local authorities on the investigation.
Investigators subpoenaed Wise’s computer records and discovered images and videos of child pornography. In June 2019, investigators armed with a search warrant went to Wise’s resort residence and the suspect reportedly admitted to possessing child pornography.
As a result of the investigation, Wise was indicted by a Worcester County grand jury on 55 counts of possession and distribution of child pornography. Wise was held initially without bond, but eventually released after posting a $25,000 bond.
Wise moved to Ocean City in 1991 and was a local law enforcement officer in Ocean City and Worcester for a combined 13 years. He was a Realtor for 18 years including seven years as Ocean City branch manager for a large firm.
Dorchester County State’s Attorney Bill Jones handled the prosecution from the beginning after Worcester County State’s Attorney Kris Heiser asked that he be appointed as special prosecutor. Because Wise was a local law enforcement officer for several years, Heiser requested Jones be appointed special prosecutor to avoid an appearance of conflict or impropriety in the case.
Jones said on Wednesday probation before judgment in the case was not his recommendation.
“I asked that the court impose a sentence, suspended down to what would constitute a time-served sentence, and impose probationary terms that would include treatment, and that he be required to register as a sex offender,” he said. “I believe that the suspended period of incarceration, supervised probation, treatment and sex offender registration were appropriate for the facts and circumstances.”
However, Jones said the court didn’t see it that way.
“I never recommended probation before judgment, but the defense asked for it and the court agreed,” he said. “Mr. Wise’s background and other information provided by the defense were the bases for the court’s decision. In the end, the court’s sentence was not what the state recommended, but is within the purview of the court.”
