Southern Maryland police briefs

Traffic stop leads to gun, drug charges

On May 28 at 1:58 a.m., Officer J. Gordon of the Charles sheriff’s office initiated a traffic stop in the 5100 block of Indian Head Highway in Indian Head for equipment violations on a vehicle.

Upon contacting the driver, the officer noted the driver’s license was suspended. The officer also observed a bottle of cough syrup with codeine in plain view, a release from the sheriff’s office said.

Further investigation revealed the driver, Robert Terrance Fletcher, 26, of Indian Head, was also allegedly in possession of cocaine, crack cocaine and codeine syrup. Additionally, a loaded 9 mm handgun was recovered with a full magazine, the release said.

The handgun had been reported stolen from Washington, D.C. Fletcher is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a prior conviction for a crime of violence.

He was charged with possession with the intent to distribute narcotics, possession of a stolen firearm, illegal possession of a firearm due to a prior felony conviction, and other related charges. Fletcher is currently being held without bond at the Charles County Detention Center.

Thousands in goods taken from hardware store

On May 1, officers made contact with a loss prevention officer at the Home Depot in Waldorf.

The loss prevention officer told police that on April 6 and 28, Theron Douglas Kidd, 42, of Suitland allegedly stole goods totaling $6,000 from the store. The loss prevention officer explained that he knew Kidd from various other thefts committed at Home Depots across the region, charging documents say.

On April 6, Kidd allegedly posed as a Home Depot employee, wearing one of the store’s aprons. He was pushing a cart that contained a Dewalt laser level and Milwaukee power tools. Kidd was observed helping customers on video, the charging documents say.

After allegedly taking other select merchandise, he was observed on video passing through points of payment without stopping, charging documents say.

A felony theft scheme charge was filed against Kidd on May 31.

Four charged for car theft and stealing

On May 30, officers patrolling Waldorf heard a broadcast from the Prince George’s County Police Department about a stolen 2019 Blue Nissan Rogue.

Officers found and observed the vehicle entering the parking lot of the Home Depot in Waldorf. Multiple subjects were observed exiting the vehicle and entering the store, charging documents say.

Dominick Antonio Quarles, 42, Torrey Iver Murray Jr., 33, Ashley Nicole Bible, 39, and Shanikquea Monique Long, 45, were all seen exiting the Home Depot with items after allegedly walking past points of sale without paying, according to charging documents.

Each of the four was charged with unlawfully taking a motor vehicle and felony and misdemeanor theft.

Man charged after alleged domestic assault

On May 31 around 8:18 p.m., Charles sheriff’s officers responded to Tulsa Court in Waldorf to assist EMS in helping a woman who was involved in a domestic assault and became unresponsive for a period of time.

While on the scene, the woman was able to tell officers that Owaine Raul Johnson, 45, of Waldorf, allegedly struck her in the face with a closed fist, threw her into a couch and choked her. Officers found her mouth bloodied, according to charging documents.

The woman reported that she had trouble breathing and was transported to the University of Maryland Charles Regional Medical Center for further medical treatment.

Officers found footage of the assault on a home surveillance system, charging documents say. Johnson was placed into custody and charged with first- and second-degree assault.

Man charged with assault after alleged park incident

On June 1, Deputy Bianca Melton of the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to George B. Cecil Park in Valley Lee to investigate a report that someone with a gun allegedly pointed the weapon at a crowd of approximately 50 people gathered at a park pavilion.

The people gathered at the pavilion were in the park to celebrate a child’s first birthday, Melton stated in court papers.

According to Melton’s investigation, Javonte Taevon Fenwick, 18, of Hollywood, had gotten into a physical altercation with one of the male party-goers. The defendant allegedly retrieved a gun from the vehicle he arrived in and “pointed it into the crowd of people,” Melton wrote in charging papers.

Fenwick then fled the scene in the vehicle, which was driven by a woman. Deputies later located the vehicle and Fenwick on Story Court near Flat Iron Road in Valley Lee.

No injuries were reported as a result of the incident.

Fenwick was charged with first-degree assault, second-degree assault, firearm use in a violent crime and illegal possession of a firearm. He is being held without bond.

Lexington Park woman charged with felony theft

On May 25 Deputy Bradley Kirscht of the St. Mary’s sheriff’s office begin investigating a complaint from a vehicle rental business that a 47-year-old Lexington Park woman had failed to return a 2024 Nissan Altima she had rented in mid-April. The renter had attempted to contact the defendant, Trisha Kathleen Jones, several times, including by certified mail.

In court documents, Kirscht stated he conducted an “in-house history search for the defendant,” who was subsequently located at a Lexington Park hotel. The vehicle was also located.

Jones was charged with felony theft, failing to return a rented vehicle and theft $100 to under $1,500. She posted $500 bond that day and was released.

Man charged with stealing from former employer

On May 27, Deputy Jordan Wagner began investigation of a reported theft scheme that allegedly victimized a local rental business.

In court documents Wagner filed, the defendant, Steven Michael Ryan, 34, of Lexington Park, had been the leasing agent for the rental business. According to the charging papers, Ryan is alleged to have collected under $3,500 from clients after his employment was terminated.

Wagner interviewed Ryan at his residence and said in court documents the defendant admitted to the transactions, which occurred on May 23 and 24, according to court papers.

Ryan is charged with felony theft scheme, two counts of felony theft and one count of misdemeanor theft. A district court hearing on the charges Ryan is facing is scheduled for July 5.

Man charged with robbing, assaulting woman

On May 24, Deputy Ryan Campbell of the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office investigated an incident in the Prince Frederick area involving an alleged robbery.

According to court documents, a woman alleged that a 39-year-old Prince Frederick man assaulted her and took her iPhone. The man was identified as Paul Dornell Gantt.

Gantt and his accuser were located in the middle of Macs Hollow Road. According to Campbell, the woman had visible injuries but declined medical treatment.

During the incident, Gantt allegedly took the woman’s phone from her. “She advised Gantt then threw the phone into the woods,” Campbell wrote in charging papers.

Campbell learned during his investigation the two are involved in a long relationship. Gantt told the deputy “he received a picture” of his accuser “with another man.”

Gantt admitted to the actions as described by his accuser. He was charged with robbery and second-degree assault.

On May 26 Gantt posted $250 bond and was released. A district court hearing date is pending.

St. Leonard woman charged with child abuse and assault

On May 28, Deputy Hayden Jones of the Calvert sheriff’s office responded to a house in St. Leonard to investigate the report of an assault.

Jones stated in court papers a woman, identified as Alaina Joann Kleist, 33, of St. Leonard, had allegedly assaulted a 17-year-old female. The incident reportedly was the result of a verbal argument.

According to Jones, Kleist allegedly struck the teen in her face and grabbed her hair. She also allegedly assaulted a 45-year-old man at the residence.

Jones reported both of Kleist’s accusers were assessed. The female teen had been scratched, was bleeding at the chin and had marks on her neck, collarbone and arm.

Kleist declined to speak with the deputy. She was arrested and charged with two counts each of second-degree child abuse and second-degree assault.

On May 29, following a district court hearing presided over by Judge Robyn Riddle, Kleist posted $15,000 bond and was released.

St. Mary’s man facing gun, drug charges

On May 29, Calvert deputies conducted a traffic stop on a Nissan Frontier on Route 2/4 and Flag Ponds Parkway in Lusby. Deputy William Parrott reported in the charging papers that the driver was asked where he was headed. That prompted the passenger — identified as Sidney Antwan Strain-Carter, 35, of Lexington Park — to speak to the deputies.

“Strain said he and his uncle were just driving around and he didn’t like how we were asking so many irrelevant questions because no crime had been committed,” Parrott stated in court papers. A K9 search was conducted.

Parrott said Strain-Carter was asked to get out of the vehicle. He complied and “raised his hands,” telling the deputies “there was a gun in his waistband,” Parrott stated. Strain-Carter was found to be in possession of a 9 mm handgun.

The vehicle search yielded over 210 grams of packaged, suspected cannabis. A digital scale and over $8,000 in cash were also located. Strain-Carter was in possession of two phones, both of which he used to record his conversation with the deputies.

Strain-Carter was charged with having a firearm in a drug trafficking crime, firearm use, having a loaded handgun on his person and manufacturing cannabis.

On May 31, Strain-Carter was released after posting $5,000 bond.

Lusby man charged with assault in alleged ‘road rage’

On May 31 Deputy Hayden Jones responded to a traffic complaint at Route 2/4 and Sawmill Road in Lusby. A female motorist reported a man driving a GMC Sierra pickup “had pointed a gun at her,” Jones wrote in court papers.

The woman told Jones she and the pickup driver “had a road rage incident, they exchanged words and then he pointed a gun at her and her passenger.” The pickup driver turned off on Sawmill Road.

Through a license plate reader, Jones was able to identify the truck as described by the woman, and subsequently determined the owner of the vehicle.

Jones went to the owner’s residence in Lusby. The truck’s owner, identified in court records as Steven David Cressotti, 57, admitted he had been involved in a shouting match with a female driver earlier in the day, but denied pointing a gun at her. Cressotti did admit he owns and is permitted to carry a handgun, which he keeps in the truck.

Jones also interviewed the male passenger who was riding in the accuser’s vehicle and he gave the same account the woman did.

Cressotti was arrested and charged with first-degree assault, second-degree assault and firearm use in a violent crime. On Monday, Cressotti was released on his own recognizance.

Unsolved thefts probed

On May 14, Deputy Rosemary Contic responded to Meadow Run Lane in Owings for the report of a commercial burglary that had already occurred. Investigation revealed sometime between April 7 and April 18, three air conditioning units were stolen from a warehouse. The estimated value of the stolen property is $6,773.

On May 19, Deputy Charles Brown responded to Larry’s Auto Service on Pardoe Road in Lusby for the report of a theft. The complainant advised that a 1990 green skid steer had been stolen from the property between May 18 at 12:30 p.m. and May 19 at 11 a.m. The total value of stolen property is $10,000.

Vandalisms in Huntingtown investigated

On May 25 Deputy Cory Mister of the Calvert sheriff’s office responded to Huntsman Drive in Huntingtown to investigate an incident from the previous day. Someone spray-painted signs at the entrance to the neighborhood.

The following day, Deputy Justin MacWilliams responded to the Walnut Creek subdivision for a similar incident. This time vandals spray-painted the entrance sign and a banner for high school graduates.

In each incident the estimated value of damaged property is $1,500.

Anyone with information on either of these incidents that might aid deputies in their investigations is asked to call the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office at 410-535-2800.