LA PLATA, Md. (Nov. 19, 2013)—The Charles County Sheriff's Office today released the following incident and arrest reports.
OFFICERS RESPOND TO CALL FOR MAN WITH GUN AT CSM: On Nov. 18 at about 8 p.m., Charles County Sheriff's officers responded to the College of Southern Maryland LaPlata Campus after receiving a call from a campus security officer about a male subject in the student lounge with what appeared to be a handgun. Officers arrived within minutes and detained a subject running from the area of the lounge. Officers immediately reviewed surveillance footage which showed a group of at least five people, both male and female, in the room. One of the males was pointing a gun at the others, but none of the people seemed alarmed. From the footage, officers quickly determined the subject they were detaining was indeed with the group of people seen in the lounge. Officers spoke with the man who initially was reluctant to provide any information but eventually told officers the gun was a toy and it belonged to someone else. Forensics personnel processed the scene and recovered white pellets suggesting the gun was an Airsoft pellet gun. Detectives eventually located the person who reportedly brought the toy gun to the campus and are continuing their investigation. Both males are 19-years-old and are enrolled as students.
Sheriff Rex Coffey, who responded to the scene as soon as he heard the call, said the police response from all of the law enforcement agencies in the area was swift. "We train for these events and overall, our actions and response was right in line with how we prepare for these types of calls. We work closely with campus officers and staff at CSM as well as each and every school in our county to ensure the safety of everyone to the best of our ability.
MAN CHARGED WITH ASSAULTING POLICE OFFICER: On Nov. 17 at 1:54 p.m., officers responded to a club in the 3200 block of Old Washington Road in Waldorf for the complaint of a disorderly crowd fighting in the parking lot. Officers separated the group and ordered them to leave. The suspect, Marcus Xavier Blackwell, 27, of Brandywine refused to leave at the officer's request. The officer attempted to arrest Blackwell and when doing so, Blackwell began struggling and struck the officer. Blackwell was taken into custody and transported to the Charles County Detention Center. The officer received an injury to his arm during the arrest and was transported to the Charles Regional Medical Center for treatment. Blackwell was charged with trespassing, disorderly conduct, failure to obey a lawful order, resisting arrest and assault on a police officer.
ASSAULT: On Nov. 16 at 9:34 p.m., officers responded to Mall Circle in Waldorf for the report of an assault. Four male victims in their late teens reported they had just left a store and got into a car when they were approached by a group of males in their late teens to early twenties. One of the suspects asked about a party and when the victims said they didn't know anything about it, the suspects began punching the victims through partially opened windows of the car, shattering a rear passenger window. The victims fled and called police; no one was injured. Officers canvassed the area and are working to pursue leads. The suspects may have fled in a maroon sedan. PFC K. Newman is investigating.
STRONG-ARM ROBBERY: On Nov. 14 at 9:13 p.m., an unknown male approached a woman in front of the Home Depot in the 12000 block of Jefferson Farm Place in Waldorf. The suspect grabbed the woman's purse and fled. Officers were on the scene within minutes and canvassed the area. A police canine handler and his partner responded and conducted a track. A witness told officers they saw a blue Ford SUV leaving the parking lot at a high rate of speed. It is not clear if the suspect was in that vehicle. Charles County Crime Solvers is offering a cash reward for information leading to the identity of this suspect. Tipsters can call 1-866-411-TIPS. PFC R. Johnson is investigating.
STRONG-ARM ROBBERY: On Nov. 14 at 7:30 p.m., a lone male suspect approached a woman who was leaving a restaurant at the Waldorf Market Place and attempted to grab her purse. The woman resisted but the suspect was able to wrestle her purse away. Officers canvassed the area and the woman's purse was located in the Millbrook area. The victim was only able to say the suspect was wearing dark clothing. Charles County Crime Solvers is offering a cash reward for information leading to the identity of this suspect. Tipsters can call 1-866-411-TIPS. PFC J. Kelly is investigating.
THEFT: Sometime between Nov. 13 and Nov. 14, someone stole an A/C unit from the Smith Chapel United Methodist Church in the 7700 block of Poorhouse Road in La Plata. Charles County Crime Solvers is offering a cash reward for information leading to the identity of this suspect. Tipsters can call 1-866-411-TIPS. PFC F. Davis Jr. is investigating.
MAN CHARGED WITH THEFT: On Nov. 13 at 11:33 a.m., officers responded to a business on Mattawoman Drive in Waldorf for the report of an attempt theft. Investigation showed the suspect, George Preston Schaffer, 44, of no fixed address, entered a store and stole money from the cash register. The owner of the store pursued Schaffer into the parking lot but Schaffer got into his car and tried to leave. The victim struggled with Schaffer and retrieved the stolen cash. Schaffer started the car and fled with the victim still hanging on. The victim was dragged a short distance and released from the vehicle. He did not sustain any injuries. The victim was able to get the tag number and notified police. Officers canvassed the surrounding businesses and learned Schaffer was in the shopping center all morning acting suspiciously. Later, Cpl. J. Burroughs received information of a possible location for Schaffer. Cpl. Burroughs searched the area and located Schaffer at a shopping center where Cpl. Burroughs arrested him. Officers found illegal prescription drugs, a pellet gun and a ski mask inside Schaffer's car. Schaffer was charged with theft, assault, and drug violations relating to this incident. Officer A. Duckett and Cpl. J. Burroughs investigated.
OFFICERS APPREHEND BURGLARY SUSPECTS: On Nov. 14 at 12:45 a.m., Sgt. H. Smith and Officer J. Morales stopped a car in the 2000 block of Crain Highway in Waldorf because the vehicle matched the description of a vehicle connected to a prior burglary at a welding business. Upon approaching the car, officers detected the strong odor of raw marijuana. Officers found marijuana, bolt cutters and a large amount of welding extension wire inside the vehicle. Officers went to the welding business and found fresh damage to the fence. They contacted the business owner who responded and confirmed $10,000 worth of welding extension wire had been stolen. All three of the car's occupants were arrested. Francis Earl Young, Jr., 23, of California, MD, Wendy Inez Graham, 24, of Brandywine and Mark Lamont Pettaway, 26, of Brandywine were each charged with second-degree burglary, possession of burglary tools, theft over $10,000, destruction of property, possession with intent to distribute drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia.
THEFT: Sometime between Nov. 12 and Nov. 13, someone stole the wheels and rims from a Corvette parked in the 1000 block of Dartmouth Road in Waldorf. Charles County Crime Solvers is offering a cash reward for information leading to the identity of this suspect. Tipsters can call 1-866-411-TIPS. PFC P. Morgan, III is investigating.
CRIME SOLVERS OFFERING CASH REWARD IN ROBBERY CASE: Charles County Crime Solvers is offering a cash reward for information leading to the arrest of a suspect wanted in connection with a robbery. On Oct. 31 at 11:50 p.m., an employee of a fast food restaurant in the 6300 block of Crain Highway in La Plata was walking to his car in the parking lot after the business closed. A lone male suspect confronted him, pulled a gun and demanded the bank deposit bag the employee was carrying. The victim complied and the suspect fled. Officers responded and canvassed the area; a police K9 tracked the suspect to the area of Potomac Street at Kent Avenue where the track stopped. The suspect is described as a male, unknown race, light eyes, 6'0", wearing a black mask, black gloves and black clothing. The victim said he also had a deep voice.
Anyone with information is asked to call Det. A. Celia at (301) 609-6518. Tipsters wishing to remain anonymous may contact Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS or Text CHARLES + your tip to CRIMES or visit http://www.ccso.us to submit a web tip. All tipsters remain anonymous. For additional information about Crime Solvers see http://www.charlescountycrimesolvers.com.
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 Maryland 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 .