LEONARDTOWN, Md. (Nov. 3, 2009) - The St. Mary's County Bureau of Criminal Investigations (BCI) recently released the following incident and arrest reports. BCI 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.
ARREST IN SHOOTING CASE: On June 29 at 1:45 a.m., patrol officers responded to Butler's Place Bar in Lexington Park for the report of shots being fired. As deputies arrived, numerous vehicles and persons were observed fleeing the parking lot. At 2:05 a.m. the Sheriff's Office was notified of a subject arriving at St. Mary's Hospital suffering from a gunshot wound to the groin area. The victim was subsequently transported to Prince George's Hospital Shock Trauma Center where he was treated for his injuries. The victim was uncooperative and refused to provide any information with regards to the shooting or a suspect. Investigation by BCI detectives led to the identification of a suspect. On October 30, Oliver T. Smith, age 23, of Great Mill's was arrested and charged with Attempted First Degree Murder, Assault First Degree, and Use of Handgun during a Violent Crime. Smith was incarcerated in the Detention Center pending a bond review by the District Court Commissioner.
ARREST IN SEXUAL ASSAULT CASE: On October 30, troopers from the Maryland State Police responded to a residence in Hollywood for the report of a rape. Detectives from BCI responded to the scene and assumed the investigation. The 20 year-old female victim advised she was at a party when Mark Thomas Powell, age 29, of Hollywood, attempted to have a sexual liaison with the victim. The victim refused and fell asleep but awoke to find Powell sexually assaulting her. Powell was placed under arrest, charged with 4th Degree Sex Offense, and incarcerated in the Detention Center pending an appearance before the District Court Commissioner.
ARREST IN SEXUAL ASSAULT OF YOUNG CHILD: On Oct. 24, BCI, with the assistance of the United States Secret Service, conducted an investigation into a sexual assault of a three-year-old girl. The investigation revealed that suspect Jason Edward Midkiff, 25, of Great Mills, had sexually assaulted a four-year-old child who was in his care at the time of the assault. Suspect Midkiff was arrested on Nov. 2 and charged with one count of Child Sexual Abuse and one count of Fourth Degree Sex Offense. He was taken to the St. Mary's County Detention Center pending an appearance by the District Court Commissioner.