LEONARDTOWN, Md. (May 12, 2008)—Numerous arrests and indictments were made late last week in St. Mary's County as the result of a three day operation police termed "Operation Spring Cleaning." Police say the objective of the exercise was to "utilize multiple resources, manpower and tactics to enforce violations that contribute to neighborhood decay."
Police say the primary focus was on illegal drugs, what authorities term "controlled dangerous substances." However, the arrests and indictments spanned the spectrum of possible crimes and included writing bad checks, vandalism, failure to pay child support, sex offender offenses, and perjury.
The operation began on Thursday, May 8, and continued through Sunday, May 11. Police say many of the arrests and indictments executed during that period are the result of a five month investigation that started in December 2007.
Police say vice narcotics detectives identified drug traffickers via citizen complaints, investigations, and undercover buys.
The arrest warrants that were served during the three day period involved US Marshals Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force members, the St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office Patrol, and the St. Mary's County Sheriff's Special Operations Divisions (SOD).
According to police, the following persons were indicted or arrested (the offenses listed are as alleged by police and do not indicate a finding of guilt or innocence as determined by a court of law):
Charles Edward Wise Jr., age 35 of Callaway, was indicted by Vice Narcotics detectives after a continuing investigation found him to be in possession of cocaine and various types of steroids. Both controlled dangerous substances were in the quantity that would indicate the intent to distribute.
Anita Monique Plater, age 24 of Park Hall, was indicted by Vice Narcotics detectives for perjuring herself in a recent felony drug trial. Plater testified as a witness in the trial of her boyfriend, Skylar Sanders. She was charged with two counts of perjury and one count of false statement to a police officer.
Patrick Wayne Fenwick, age 22 of Lexington Park, was arrested after being indicted by Vice Narcotics detectives for possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute and possession of a handgun during the crime of drug trafficking.
Shirley Ann Morris, age 64 of Avenue, was indicted after a Vice Narcotics investigation revealed that she was in possession with the intent to distribute prescription drugs.
Tina Renee Hancock, age 39 of Leonardtown, was indicted by Vice Narcotics detectives for conspiring to distribute cocaine and distribution of cocaine.
Jackie (NMN) Pixley, age 19 of Leonardtown, was indicted by Vice Narcotics detectives for conspiring to distribute cocaine and distribution of cocaine.
Nicole Annette Bean-Bryan, age 28 of Lexington Park, was arrested on a bench warrant for failure to appear related to obstruction of justice, resisting arrest and assault second degree.
John Arthur Jenkins, age 26 of Baltimore, was arrested on a violation of probation warrant that was issued through the Circuit Court.
Katrina Marie Padgett, age 29 of Lexington Park, was arrested on a warrant for an attachment for contempt.
Todd Conley Gray, age 20 of Hollywood, was arrested on six counts of property destruction. The warrant charges that he entered into a Lexington Park neighborhood and spray painted vehicles and road signs causing hundreds of dollars in damage.
Steven Lowell Morgan, age 37 of Great Mills, was arrested on an open warrant through Calvert County Sheriff's Office for failure to pay child support.
Melanie Anette Parrish, age 21 of Lexington Park, was arrested on an open warrant for fraud and theft.
Robert Damian McCarson, age 20 of Lexington Park, was arrested on an open warrant for failure to pay child support in a Calvert County Circuit Court case.
Laurel Ann Flagg, age 48 of Lexington Park, was arrested on a bad check warrant.
Michelle Sinlao, age 23 of Leonardtown, was arrested on an active warrant for violation of exparte.
Jonathan Omar Nelson, age 24 of Waldorf, was arrested for violation of probation.
James Brian Sheehan a/k/a "Milk," age 20 of Callaway, was indicted by Vice Narcotics detectives after a search and seizure warrant was executed on his home yielded a stolen handgun. Sheehan was charged with a variety of handgun violations to include possession of a stolen handgun, possession of a handgun by a drug user and handgun transfer violations.
Zachary Matthew Williams, age 19 of Mechanicsville, was arrested after being indicted by Vice Narcotics detectives for possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute.
Calverio Terrell Somerville, age 18, was arrested on a Circuit Court warrant.
Ricardo Antoine Edgton, age 23 of Hollywood, was a target of a search and seizure warrant for his person and his home. Detectives observed Suspect Edgston and Suspect Jeffrey Neil Shade, age 23 of Leonardtown, at a basketball court on McIntosh Road. Both Suspect had felony arrest warrants for drug indictments and were accompanied by several other subjects.
As undercover officers and Emergency Services Team members arrived, all subjects fled on foot and several separate foot chases ensued. Edgston was apprehended close to his nearby home. He was arrested and search warrants for his person and home were executed. Shade was arrested and recovered was more than 32 grams of cocaine ($3,200.00 street value) and numerous baggies of marijuana (approximately $250.00 street value). Calvin Edelen, age 34 of Leonardtown, was arrested for possession of cocaine and a related smoking device. DeMarcus Antion Spears, age 18 of Leonardtown, was arrested for possession of marijuana. More than $2,400.00 in cash was seized.
Oscar Richard Tyer Jr., age 31 of Leonardtown, was located in the Longview Beach neighborhood and arrested on an open felony drug warrant. Suspect Tyer was indicted by Vice Narcotics detectives for three counts of distribution of cocaine. More than $650.00 in cash was recovered and his GMC Yukon was seized.
Two search and seizure warrants in the Longview Beach area revealed $750.00 in Crack Cocaine, approximately $300.00 in cash, two handguns, a vehicle valued at $4,000.00 and nearly $3,500.00 in property. All were seized.
A search warrant was executed on a vehicle that had been identified through undercover purchases of cocaine. The vehicle entered the area were the above search warrants were being conducted. Julius Andre Redmond, age 43 of Bushwood, was arrested for possession of cocaine.
A search and seizure warrant was executed on a residence in the South Hampton area of Lexington Park. Garrick Malik Johnson, age 19 of Lexington Park, was arrested and charged with possession of cocaine. Additional charges are expected to be filed after a State's Attorney's Office review.
Undercover Detectives entered a Lexington Park neighborhood that was identified through investigations to be a location to purchase illegal drugs. The undercover officer made contact with George Sewell, age 39 of Lexington Park. Sewell brokered a sale of cocaine with a third party, Andre Moreno O'Brien, age 23 of Avenue. Once the sale was completed, arrest teams apprehended both suspects. Sewell was charged with conspiring to distribute cocaine and O'Brien was charged with the distribution.
Undercover detectives were contacted by Kevin Jerome Chase, age 38 of Lexington Park, in regards to purchasing cocaine. Chase went to a nearby location and returned with the cocaine and completed the sale. He was arrested and charged with distribution of cocaine.
Undercover detectives observed two subjects acting suspicious in a Lexington Park parking lot. Further investigation revealed Patrick Alfonso Gayle, age 21 of Lexington Park, was found to be in possession of marijuana and was arrested and charged accordingly.
Detectives from the BCI Criminal Division, special agents from the FBI Innocent Images Task Force and St. Mary's County Parole and Probation Agents conducted 85 "Sex Offender Compliance Checks." These checks included six computer analyses done on scene by FBI Task Force members. One computer was seized for further analysis.
Terry Eugene Bailey Jr., age 24 of Lexington Park, and Joseph Henry Payne, age 31 of Lexington Park, were found not to be in compliance and arrested. Both offenders failed to notify the registry of address changes.
Scott Thomas Strandberg, age 25 of Lexington Park, was arrested on a Grand Jury indictment that was secured by BCI Criminal detectives. The warrant was for felony child sex abuse.
During a prostitution operation that was conducted on Great Mills Road several people were arrested as follows:
Dinah Marie Baker, age 44 of no fixed address, was arrested for engaging in a sexual act for money with suspect Patrick Leon Towns, age 31 of Lexington Park. Baker has a prior arrest for prostitution.
Richard Lee Aker, age 47 of Great Mills, was arrested after offering two female undercover officers $50.00 for sex.
Michael Joseph Missimer, age 38 of Lexington Park, was arrested after he offered an undercover female officer $20.00 for a sex act.
Samuel Ronald Cradle, age 54 of Lexington Park, was arrested after he offered $50.00 for sex to an undercover female officer.
A "saturation patrol" was conducted and led to six citations, ten warnings and one DWI arrest. Edward Drew Wenk, age 24 of Bushwood, was arrested for driving while intoxicated. Two alcohol citations were also written for two suspects consuming alcoholic beverages in an outside area on Great Mills Road.
Lt. Daniel D. Alioto of BCI noted that the effort involved many different police and investigative units throughout the region.
Detectives from the St. Mary's County Vice Narcotics Division, in conjunction with the St. Mary's County State's Attorney's Office, were assisted by the St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office Emergency Services Team, Sheriff's Office Patrol Deputies, Sheriff's Office K-9 and other members of the Special Operations Division (SOD), Vice Narcotics Support Team members, Detectives from BCI Criminal Division, Sheriff's Office Corrections Division, Maryland State Police Drug Enforcement Division, MSP La Plata Barrack, HIDTA Detectives (DEA), Naval Criminal Investigative Services Investigators (NCIS), Officers from Parole and Probation, Special Agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), Annapolis Field Office and the Innocent Images Task Force) and members of the U.S. Marshals Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force.