Swamp Lane Burglary Charges Served ---On May 22nd , BCI detectives arrested  a 15 year old male and a 17 year old male from Compton  and charged them with 2 counts of First Degree Burglary and 2 counts of Felony Theft for a May 1st  residential burglary on Swamp Lane in Avenue and a December 19th residential burglary on Lady Baltimore Avenue in Compton. On June 9th detectives charged, by way of a criminal summons, Steven W. Sonntag , 19 years of age, from Compton, with First Degree Burglary and Felony Theft,  for the May 1st Swamp Lane burglary.

Cold Case Closed On 05/27/09 the St. Mary’s County Bureau of Criminal Investigations Cold Case Detectives closed an armed robbery, which occurred at a Mechanicsville residence in 2004.   On the day of the incident, three armed suspects entered the victim’s residence, bound the residents and stole several thousand dollars  in U.S. Currency.  Three suspects were indicted through the St. Mary’s County Circuit Court.  The suspects were identified as Hung Tam Lam, 34 years of age from Montgomery County, Maryland; Van Son Thai, 37 years of age from Bridgeport, Connecticut and Tuan Minh Nguyen, 30 years of age from Howard County, Maryland.  All three suspects were apprehended with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigations and the Montgomery County Police Department. They are currently incarcerated at the St. Mary’s County Detention Center.  

 

Domestic Assault On April 30, 2009 a lookout was placed by the Emergency Communications Center in reference to a vehicle being operated in a reckless manner on Md. Rt. 235 in the area of Hollywood, Md.  Dfc. K. Moritz observed the vehicle making several erratic lane changes and initiated a vehicle stop.  Contact was made with the operator, Michael A. Torres, age 33, of Lexington Park.  A prescription bottle was located on the front seat of the vehicle which had the label obliterated and the owners name removed.  The bottle contained 38 Oxycodone tablets not issued to Mr. Torres.  Torres was placed under arrest, transported to the Detention Center, charged with Possession of  CDS, and CDS Remove/Alter Label.  Torres was incarcerated pending an appearance before the District Court Commissioner.

 

4-30-09 Possession and Altering label on CDS On April 30, 2009 a lookout was placed by the Emergency Communications Center in reference to a vehicle being operated in a reckless manner on Md. Rt. 235 in the area of Hollywood, Md.  Dfc. K. Moritz observed the vehicle making several erratic lane changes and initiated a vehicle stop.  Contact was made with the operator, Michael A. Torres, age 33, of Lexington Park.  A prescription bottle was located on the front seat of the vehicle which had the label obliterated and the owners name removed.  The bottle contained 38 Oxycodone tablets not issued to Mr. Torres.  Torres was placed under arrest, transported to the Detention Center, charged with Possession of  CDS, and CDS Remove/Alter Label.  Torres was incarcerated pending an appearance before the District Court Commissioner.

 

4-23-09 Bomb Threat On April 23, 2009 at approximately 12:52 pm the St. Mary's county Emergency Communication Center received a 911 cal. The mail caller stated there was a bomb in one of the courthouses. Deputies and Maryland State Troopers responded to the Joseph D. Carter Building (District Court) on Leonard Hall Drive and the St. Mary's County Circuit Courthouse on Courthouse Drive. Both buildings are located in Leonardtown, Maryland. All occupants of both buildings were evacuated from the buildings. Currently explosive detecting K-9's are on location searching the buildings. Investigation is continuing.

CDS ArrestOn April 22, 2009 at 11:13 P.M. Deputy M. Campbell observed a suspicious vehicle in the area of the Breton Bay Golf Course in Leonardtown.  Upon approaching the vehicle Deputy Campbell detected a strong odor of suspected marijuana emanating from the vehicle.  The vehicle operator, James M. Bell, age 23, of Hollywood was found to be in possession of suspected marijuana.  Bell was arrested without incident, charged with Possession of Marijuana and incarcerated in the Detention Center pending an appearance before the District Court Commissioner.

Bomb Threat On April 22, 2009 at 6:05 P.M. an employee of the Pizza Hut, located in Lexington Park, received a telephone call advising a bomb had been placed inside the establishment.  The Pizza Hut and surrounding businesses were evacuated and a K-9 search of the business was conducted.  No explosive devices were located.  Two suspects have been identified and the investigation is continuing by detectives from the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Bureau of Criminal Investigations Division. 

 

1-9-09 Scrunchie hides drugs

On January 8, 2009 Deputy J Vezzosi made contact with Sara Rae Pinekenstein, 28 of Great Mills, Maryland in the District courtroom of Judge Slade.  Ms. Pinekenstein was place under arrest at that time due to a bench warrant issued by Judge Slade.  Search incident to the arrest revealed several pills, all controlled dangerous substances, concealed in Ms. Pinekenstein’s hair “scruntchie”.   In addition to the bench warrant, Ms. Pinekenstein was charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance.

1-8-09 CDS VIOLATION

On January 8, 2009 Deputy T Seyfried responded to a residence in Great Mills, Maryland for a report of a domestic dispute.   Once at the residence Deputy Seyfried made contact with Joseph Lewis Wetherbee, 22 of Great Mills, Maryland.  As Deputy Seyfried was speaking inside the residence with Mr. Wethbee, he (Seyried) noticed, in plain view, a baggie containing suspected marijuana and associated controlled dangerous substance paraphernalia.  Mr. Wetherbee was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance and controlled dangerous substance paraphernalia.

1-8-09 Bathroom Door Kicked in ... leads to 3rd degree burglery

On January 8, 2009 Deputy R Nielson responded to a residence in Lexington Park, Maryland for a report of a disturbance.  Investigation revealed Jessica Ann Quayle, 26 of Lexington Park, Maryland is the neighbor of the victim.  A property dispute occurred between the victim and Ms. Quayle.  A short time after the dispute, Ms. Quayle opened the door to the victim’s residence and entered without permission.  Ms. Quayle kicked the victim in the stomach.  The victim ran into the bathroom and locked the door.  Ms. Quayle went to the bathroom door and kicked it attempting to force entry.  The bathroom door was damaged.  Ms. Quayle was arrested and charged with 3rd degree burglary, 2nd degree assault and destruction of property.

 

10-14-08 A Robbery that did not occur

On October 14th  St. Mary’s County BCI Detectives served a Criminal Summons on Nina Blanca Branch, 25 years of age, from Waldorf Maryland,  charging her with Making a False Report.  On September 12th Branch, while working at the Next Day Blinds Store, located in the Wildewood Shopping Center in California Maryland, had reported that she was the victim of an attempted armed robbery, which caused an extensive search and investigation. Through the investigation, BCI detectives determined that Branch fabricated the story and the robbery it did not occur.

Second Degree Domestic Assault

On October 13, 2008 Dfc. J. Logalbo responded to a report of a fight in progress on Peony Place in California, Maryland.  When Dfc. Logalbo arrived he observed both parties involved in possession of objects threatening each other.  One had a shovel and the other had a long ice scrapper and hedge clipper.  Dfc. Logalbo ordered the subjects to drop their objects and step away from them.  Investigation revealed the subject identified as Ana Ivette Mulero, 53 of California, Maryland and Larry Anthony McWilliams, 51 of California, Maryland were involved in a verbal argument which became a physical altercation.  Both parties sustained minor injuries in the altercation and both were arrested and charged with assault.

 

Theft and False Statement

On October 13, 2008 Dfc. J. Kirkner responded to a theft complaint (shoplifter) at the K-Mart in California, Maryland.  Investigation revealed the store security officer was detaining a subject for theft of several DVDs.  The detained subject provided a name; however; further investigation revealed the subject provided both the security officer and Dfc. Kirkner with a false name.  The subject was eventually identified as Jonathan David Elkins, 21 of Mechanicsville, Maryland.  Mr. Elkins was arrested and charged with theft less then $500.00 and False Statement to a police officer.

 

9-6-08

Attempted Armed Robbery

The St. Mary’s County Bureau of Criminal Investigations is an investigative team comprised of Detectives from the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office and the Maryland State Police, Leonardtown Barrack.  The unit was established on July 1, 2003 and is based in Leonardtown, Maryland.

     On September 5th  St. Mary’s County BCI detectives arrested Darvin C. Brooks, 40 years of age, from Lexington Park and charged him with Attempted Armed Robbery and First degree Assault for the September 3rd attempted armed robbery of the KFC Restaurant in Lexington Park. He was incarcerated at the St. Mary’s County Detention Center.