A Lompoc man charged with 24 felony counts including forcible rape and other crimes involving seven underage teenaged girls will continued to be held in jail on a $2-million bail.
Shane Ryan Gledhill, 46, was arrested Aug. 3 after a Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office investigation spanning five years.
The investigation began in November 2021, when a 17-year-old survivor came forward to report suspicious and inappropriate conduct involving Gledhill that occurred when she was 15 years old, according to authorities.
The criminal complaint filed in Santa Barbara County Superior Court by the District Attorney’s Office includes charges of forcible rape, rape of an unconscious or sleeping person, sodomy of a minor age 14 or older, forcible oral copulation, oral copulation, lewd act upon a child, possession of child sexual abuse material, sending harmful material, and contacting a minor to commit a sexual offense.
During Gledhill’s arraignment hearing, he pleaded not guilty to all the charges and denied the sentencing enhancements.
His bail, originally set at $500,000, was increased to $2 million, prompting his attorney Julie Manakas to request a review and Gledhill’s possible release on his own recognizance.
Deputy District Attorney Kimberly Dittrich requested Gledhill remain in jail without bail.
“The pattern of predatory behavior directed at multiple successive minors, the use of force and coercion, the retention of sexual images of juveniles and the continued targeting of underage females establish a substantial likelihood of future harm to the public and to potential victims if defendant is released,” Dittrich wrote in her motion opposing the defendant’s release.
Bail remained set at $2 million and he remained in the County Jail as of Thursday afternoon.
At time of Gledhill’s arrests, detectives said they believe there may be additional survivors who have not yet been identified or come forward.
Gledhill has used “Shane Ryan” and “Shane Ryan-Reid” as his professional name when contacting aspiring actors and filmmakers.
His alleged criminal conduct may have spanned approximately 25 years and involved individuals throughout the Central Coast, the Los Angeles area, and potentially the East Coast through his filmmaking and casting activities, according to investigators.
Anyone with additional information about Gledhill or the investigation can contact detectives at 805.681.4150. Anonymous tips can be sent to the tip line at 805.681.4171 or SBSheriff.org.