Ferndale police officer facing charges of attempted child molestation
A Ferndale police officer who was arrested Tuesday is facing charges of attempted child molestation.
Michael Scott Langton, 46, was charged Thursday, July 28, in Whatcom County Superior Court with one count of attempted second-degree child molestation, a felony.
Langton made his first appearance in person in court Thursday afternoon.
Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Ben Pratt asked the court to set Langton’s bail at $100,000. While Langton has no criminal history, Pratt said, the bail amount requested reflected the underlying allegations. Pratt said law enforcement was currently searching Langton’s electronic devices and that additional charges or a request to amend Langton’s bail amount may happen in the future.
Defense attorney Emily Beschen, who appeared as Langton’s attorney Thursday, requested Langton be released on personal recognizance. Beschen said Langton has been an upstanding citizen and law enforcement officer in Whatcom County for nearly 20 years and noted his lack of criminal history.
Beschen said Langton owns his home in Blaine and was willing to surrender his passport as an assurance that he would reappear in court.
Pratt said there was an additional concern that Langton may interfere in the administration of justice. Pratt said there are allegations that once Langton became aware he was being placed on leave from Ferndale police, law enforcement witnessed Langton start a fire, put documents in the fire and burn them. One of Langton’s phones seized by law enforcement was also factory reset before it was seized, he said.
“We are concerned that there was some potential evidence destruction,” Pratt said. “Those two facts cause us great concern.”
Langston’s bail was set at $40,000. An anti-harassment order was put in place between Langton and the victim’s mother and a sexual assault protection order was put in place between Langton and the minor child.
He was also required to surrender any weapons to Bellingham police.
Langton’s arraignment is scheduled for Aug. 5 if he’s in custody, or Aug. 12 if he’s out of custody.
Langton, who has been with the Ferndale Police Department since Aug. 30, 2012, was arrested around 9 p.m. on July 26 at his home in Blaine.
The Bellingham Police Department received a call regarding Langton on Tuesday and started an investigation, Bellingham Police Lt. Chad Cristelli previously told The Herald.
Cristelli said one victim has been identified, but the investigation is ongoing.
“We recognize the difficulty and courage it takes for a community member to come forward to report this type of incident. Our officers and detectives have worked long hours on this case. The investigation is still ongoing. We hope to be able to provide more information as it comes in,” Cristelli said in a prepared statement sent to The Herald.
Langton is incarcerated at the Skagit County Community Justice Center, but returned to Whatcom County for his court appearance.
Langton was placed on paid administrative leave from the Ferndale Police Department on July 26. His salary is $98,810 per year, The Herald previously reported.
The Ferndale Police Department has started an internal affairs investigation based on the criminal charges Langton is accused of, and the investigation is ongoing, Riley Sweeney, a spokesperson for the city of Ferndale, previously told The Herald.
This is the second time Langton has been placed on paid administrative leave in less than a year. He was previously placed on leave in early October 2021 after he allegedly contacted a far-right extremist group.
By late October 2021, Langton returned to duty.
Langton has also been sued twice in federal court for allegedly violating people’s civil rights while doing his job. Both cases were settled out of court and dismissed.
This story was originally published July 28, 2022 at 11:32 AM.
