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A fire police officer with the Lewes Fire Department who also worked in security at a regional healthcare facility has been indicted on multiple felony child sex charges — including attempted second-degree rape and sexual solicitation of a child — and suspended from both positions while the criminal case moves forward.
Michael Truitt is the Lewes Fire Department Officer Accused of Attempted Rape and Child Sex Charges in Delaware who was indicted by a grand jury on June 22, 2026, and released after posting $120,000 cash bond. He is currently under supervised custody and is scheduled to be arraigned on July 24, 2026. Truitt has served as a fire policeman with the Lewes Fire Department since 2016 and also worked as a communications officer in the security department at Beebe Healthcare.
According to Superior Court documents, the alleged crimes against an underage female occurred on May 14, 2026. Truitt is additionally charged with then allegedly attempting to intimidate the alleged victim into not reporting the incidents the following day. He also faces charges of sexual solicitation of a child and additional offenses stemming from alleged conduct that occurred over a ten-day period in December 2025.
The full list of charges includes attempted second-degree rape, two counts of sexual solicitation of a child, four counts of unlawful sexual contact, two counts of indecent exposure, and two counts of acts of intimidation.
The Lewes Fire Department confirmed Truitt has been suspended until further notice. Department spokesman Glenn Marshall stated the alleged conduct runs counter to everything the Lewes Fire Department stands for.
Beebe Healthcare also confirmed the situation, stating it became aware that the employee had been indicted on criminal charges unrelated to his work at Beebe and not occurring at a Beebe facility. The health system suspended him without pay and terminated his access to all Beebe facilities and IT systems upon learning of the indictment.
The factual information above was sourced from capegazette.com as of July 17, 2026. The attorney commentary below is not specifically about the case reported above. Attorney commentary provided is information about these types of cases in the justice system.
When a person who holds trusted roles in both public safety and healthcare is accused of child sexual assault, victims may have significant civil legal options beyond the criminal process. Legal Herald editor Paul Amess spoke with Delaware sexual abuse attorney Aman Sharma about the civil legal avenues that may be available to victims in cases involving alleged sexual misconduct by someone in multiple positions of community authority.
Paul Amess: Aman, when someone who holds multiple trusted roles in public safety and healthcare is accused of child sexual offenses, what civil legal options may be available to the alleged victim and their family?
Aman Sharma: Cases involving individuals who hold multiple positions of public trust raise serious civil liability questions at several levels. Beyond claims against the individual accused, families may have grounds to explore whether any of the institutions that employed the accused bear civil responsibility. When organizations place someone in a role with access to vulnerable individuals — whether in public safety or healthcare — they take on a duty to screen and supervise that person's conduct. If there were any failures in that process, those failures can become relevant in a civil legal evaluation.
Paul Amess: In cases where an accused person allegedly attempted to intimidate the alleged victim into not reporting the incident, how does that affect the civil legal landscape?
Aman Sharma: Alleged intimidation of a victim following an assault is taken very seriously in both criminal and civil proceedings. From a civil standpoint, it can speak to the deliberate nature of the alleged conduct and may be relevant to the damages a victim is entitled to pursue. Victims who were allegedly intimidated into silence should not let that experience deter them from speaking with an experienced attorney about their legal rights.
Paul Amess: What would you say to a victim or family in Delaware who has been affected by alleged sexual misconduct by someone in a position of community authority?
Aman Sharma: Please speak with an experienced attorney as soon as possible. Time limits apply to civil claims in Delaware, and early action gives victims the strongest possible foundation. An initial consultation is completely confidential and free of charge — no victim should have to face this process alone.
If you or someone you love has been the victim of sexual assault, attempted rape, or any form of sexual misconduct by any individual in Delaware, you may have the right to pursue civil action and recover financial compensation. Contact The Legal Herald today to be connected with an experienced Delaware sexual abuse attorney for a free, no-obligation consultation.
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