LEONARDTOWN, Md. (April 30, 2013)—The St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office released the following incident and arrest reports.
TRESPASSING: On April 26, Deputy William Wood responded to St. Mary's Hospital for a trespassing complaint. Investigation revealed on April 24, Mitchell Thomas Gaut, 50 of no fixed address, was served a notice not to trespass on hospital property. Gaut was on still hospital property when deputies arrived. He was arrested and charged with trespassing.
SECOND DEGREE ASSAULT: On April 27, Deputy Trevor Teague responded to Pleasant Drive in Lexington Park for a reported disturbance. Upon arrival, Deputy Teague observed two subjects actively involved in fight. Deputy Teague immediately ordered the two to cease their actions which they refused continuing to fight. A large crowd began to gather. The two individuals were separated, however; they continued to yell obscenities inciting the crowd. The subjects were identified as Eric Delozronio Burgess, Jr., 22 of no fixed address, and Terrell Charles Davis, 25 of Lexington Park. Burgess and Davis were arrested and charged with second degree assault and disorderly conduct.
SECOND DEGREE ASSAULT: On April 27, Cpl. Connelly responded to a residence on Three Notch Road in Lexington Park for a report of a disturbance. Investigation revealed Gene Edward Novakowski, Jr., 43 of Lexington Park, was engaged in a verbal dispute with the victim. The verbal dispute escalated into a physical assault when Novakowski grabbed and pushed the victim to the ground. Novakowski was arrested and charged with second degree assault.
POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED DANGEROUS SUBSTANCE: On April 27, Deputy Wood was conducting a premise check of Abell's Wharf. Deputy William Wood observed a suspicious vehicle, a blue 1997 Nissan Van parked in the rear of the parking lot. The vehicle was occupied by a male and a female. Deputy Wood asked the female to exit the vehicle and she complied. As the deputy was interviewing the female he observed the male place his hands in front of the seat attempting to conceal something. The male later identified as John William Vallandingham, 54 of Lexington Park, was asked to exit the vehicle. A consent search of the vehicle lead to the discovery of was a glass container containing suspected marijuana. A further search of the vehicle revealed a glass smoking device containing burnt marijuana. Vallandingham was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance (suspected marijuana) and possession of controlled dangerous substance paraphernalia.
PROJECT SOLO - SOBRIETY CHECKPOINT AND SATURATION PATROL RESULTS: The weekend of April 26, the St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office conducted a sobriety checkpoint and saturation patrols. The results of the checkpoint and saturation patrols are as follows:
309 vehicles pass through the checkpoint - 3 drivers were pulled over and checked for impairment (Joseph Munoz, 26 of Patuxent River, was arrested for driving while impaired by Cpl. Stone). In addition the St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office License Plate Reader hit on 1 vehicle tag for suspended registration resulting in the driver being issued a citation for operating a motor vehicle with suspended registration and the vehicle being impounded.
During the saturation patrols deputies conducted15 traffic stops and issued 8 citations, 11 warnings, 2 equipment repair orders, checked 2 suspicious persons loitering in a parking lot of a closed business and assisted 1 disabled motorist. Dfc. Meyers arrested Julie Ann Gore, 51 of California, for driving while impaired.
Project SOLO (Save Our Loved Ones) is a statewide initiative to combat impaired driving and underage drinking to ultimately save lives and reduce roadway deaths.
OFFICER INVOLVED MOTORCYCLE COLLISION: On April 29 at approximately 1:13 p.m., Cpl. Joseph Somerville, a 17-year veteran of the St. Mary's County Sheriff's Officer, was involved in a motorcycle collision. The collision occurred on Baltimore Avenue near Paint Branch Parkway in College Park. Cpl. Somerville was providing instructor support for a Basic Motor Officer Course hosted by the University of Maryland's Department of Public Safety Training Academy. Cpl. Somerville sustained incapacitating injures and was flown to Baltimore Shock Trauma. The collision is being investigated by the Prince George's County Police Department. More information will be release as it becomes available.
CONCEALED DEADLY WEAPON, POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED DANGEROUS SUBSTANCE: On April 22, Deputy Potter was patrolling the area of Chancellors Run Road in California, when he noticed an individual, later identified as Leonard William Morehead, 42 of Great Mills, walking along the sidewalk. Deputy Potter observed what he believed to be a large knife partially protruding from Morehead's pocket. Deputy Potter contacted Moreland and verified that Moreland was concealing a large, fixed blade knife (total length approximately 13 inches) on his person. Morehead was arrested for possessing a concealed deadly weapon. A search incident to arrest revealed Morehead was also in possession of a controlled dangerous substance (Oxycodone) without a prescription. Morehead was also charged with possessing a controlled dangerous substance without a prescription.
ESCAPE: On April 22, Sherman Leroy Mackall, 53 of Upper Marlboro, an inmate of the St. Mary's County Detention Center, was temporarily release from the detention center and admitted to a hospital in Prince George's County for treatment. The court order stated that Mackall was to remain at the hospital for treatment and upon discharge he was to be transported back to the St. Mary's County Detention Center. Mackall left the hospital without notifying hospital staff. Hospital staff contacted the St. Mary's County Detention Center and retake warrant was issued for Mackall. Prince Georges County Police located Mackall at a residence in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. Mackall was arrested and transported back to the St. Mary's County Detention Center where he as charge with escape.
SECOND DEGREE ASSAULT: On April 23, deputies responded to a residence on Chancellors Run Road in Great Mills for a report of an assault. Investigation revealed Michael Lawrence Nelson, 30 of Great Mills, was involved in a verbal dispute which escalated into a physical assault when Nelson choked the victim. Nelson was arrested and charged with second degree assault.
FIRST AND SECOND DEGREE ASSAULT: On April 23, deputies responded to a residence on McIntosh Road in Leonardtown for a report of an assault. Investigation revealed Randy Alan Boarman, 47 of Leonardtown, was involved in a verbal dispute which escalated into a physical assault when Boarman struck the victim with a baseball bat. The victim fell to the ground. Boarman then kicked the victim. Boarman was arrested and charged with first and second degree assault.
ROBBERY, CAR JACKING, SECOND DEGREE ASSAULT: On April 23, Kevin Terrell Gray, 31 of Suitland, was with the victim at a residence in Lexington Park. Gray wanted leave but the victim was not ready to leave. Gray forcibly took keys to a 2004 Chevrolet Corvette the victim was borrowing from a third party and drove off with the vehicle. When Gray forcibly took the keys from the victim he lacerated the victim's hand. Gray did not have permission from the owner of the vehicle to take or operate the vehicle. Gray did not possess a valid driver's license. A lookout was broadcast for the stolen vehicle. A short time later the vehicle and Gray were located in Suitland. Gray was arrested and charged with robbery, car-jacking and second degree assault.
SECOND DEGREE ASSAULT: On April 24, deputies responded to a residence on Indian Way in Lexington Park for a report of an assault. Investigation revealed Thu T Bui, 43 of Lexington Park, was involved in a verbal dispute which escalated into a physical assault when Bui punched the victim in the head and face. Bui was arrested and charged with second degree assault.
MECHANICSVILLE BURGLARIES: During the Sheriff's Office weekly CompStat meetings a trend was identified involving multiple Burglary's to residences in the Mechanicsville area. St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office Crime Analysts were able to compile statistical data regarding the methods used to commit the burglaries. BCI detectives incorporated this information into their investigation and were able to identify a suspect.
On April 12, St. Mary's County BCI detectives, assisted by detectives from the Southern Md. Information Center, executed a search and seizure warrant at a residence in Mechanicsville. Detectives recovered numerous items which had been stolen during these residential burglaries.
Brian Y. Sampson, 32, of Mechanicsville, was arrested at the residence and charged with 2 counts of Theft $1,000 - $10,000; 4 counts of 1st Degree Burglary, and Theft $10,000 - $100,000. Sampson was also served with an outstanding warrant for 1st Degree Burglary and Theft $1,000 - $10,000 on a related burglary. Sampson is currently being held at the St. Mary's County Detention Center pending an appearance before the District Court Commissioner.
Additional Burglary and theft charges against Sampson are pending in these cases.
CHILD ABUSE: On April 2, a suspected child abuse was reported to the St. Mary's County Bureau of Criminal Investigations by a Child Protective Services Investigator involving alleged sexual abuse to a minor. The female victim disclosed during a forensics interview that she had been sexually abused multiple times from August 2012 until March 2013. The victim was being cared for by the suspect while the child's mother was working.
Following a joint investigation by detectives from BCI and the Department of Social Services Child Protective Services, Omar Perez-Ruiz, 30, of Great Mills, was arrested at his residence without incident. Perez-Ruiz, an illegal immigrant from Mexico, was charged with Sexual Abuse to Minor and incarcerated in the St. Mary's County Detention Center under a $1 million dollar bond.
Disclaimer: In the U.S.A., all persons accused of a crime by the State are presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. See: http://somd.me/presumed-innocence. Additionally, all of the information provided above is solely from the perspective of the respective law enforcement agency and does not provide any direct input from the accused or persons otherwise mentioned. You can find additional information about the case by searching the Judiciary Case Search Database using the accused's name and date of birth. The database is online at http://somd.me/mdcasesearch . Persons named who have been found innocent or not guilty of all charges in the respective case, and/or have had the case ordered expunged by the court can have their name, age, and city redacted by following the process defined at http://somd.me/expungeme .