California Actor Faces 24 Felony Counts In Alleged Child Sex Abuse Scheme
California actor Shane Ryan Gledhill was arrested on August 3 and charged with 24 felony counts, including child molestation, rape and possession of child sexual abuse material, authorities said.[1]
Gledhill, 46, of Lompoc, was booked into the Northern Branch Jail after the arrest.[1] His bail is set at $2 million, and a preliminary hearing is scheduled for Sept. 9 in Santa Barbara County Superior Court's Lompoc division.[1]
The investigation began in November 2021 after a 17-year-old reported abuse she says occurred when she was 15.[1] Detectives say they have identified nine alleged survivors, all minors at the time of the alleged offenses.[1] Officers executed a search warrant at his home in February 2022 and seized thousands of digital files that were forensically examined.[1]
Detectives allege Gledhill used online casting calls and filmmaking projects, often under the professional names "Shane Ryan" and "Shane Ryan-Reid," to contact aspiring young actors over a period that may span about 25 years.[1] He faces additional counts including forcible sexual assault, contacting a minor with intent to commit a sexual offense and providing harmful matter to a minor.[1]
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📌 Key Facts
- Shane Ryan Gledhill, 46, of Lompoc, California, was arrested on August 3, 2026 on an arrest warrant and booked into the Northern Branch Jail.
- He now faces 24 felony counts including child molestation, rape, forcible sexual assault, contacting a minor with intent to commit a sexual offense, possession of child sexual abuse material and providing harmful matter to a minor.
- The investigation began in November 2021 after a 17-year-old reported abuse from when she was 15 and has so far identified nine alleged survivors, all minors at the time of the alleged offenses.
- Investigators executed a search warrant at his home in February 2022 and seized thousands of digital files, which were forensically examined.
- Detectives say Gledhill allegedly used online casting calls and filmmaking projects, often under the professional names "Shane Ryan" and "Shane Ryan-Reid," to contact aspiring young actors over a period that may span about 25 years.
- His bail is set at $2 million, and a preliminary hearing is scheduled for September 9, 2026, in Santa Barbara County Superior Court's Lompoc division.
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