Man charged with felony firearm use
On Dec. 1 at around 10:50 p.m., Officer P. Bowers with the Charles sheriff’s office allegedly saw a red Cadillac’s passenger-side headlight was not functioning.
When Bowers initiated a traffic stop, Luis Edgardo Mejia Molina, 20, of Marbury allegedly failed to stop and accelerated to 120 mph in a posted 50 mph zone, according to charging documents. During the pursuit, Molina allegedly failed to keep right of center, executed a U-turn in an open field, failed to stop at a stop sign and turned the car’s headlights and taillights on and off.
Officers deployed stop sticks and deflated the front tires, documents said. A passenger in the vehicle allegedly said Molina threw a firearm from the car during the pursuit. A search allegedly revealed a 9 mm round inside the passenger seat and officers saw a firearm being thrown out of the car window on dash camera footage.
At around 2:05 a.m., officers allegedly located an H&K VP9 9 mm handgun with a loaded magazine on the shoulder of Riverside Road near Ben Doane Road, documents said. The firearm was allegedly reported stolen in Loudoun County, Va.
Molina was charged with felony possession of a firearm known to be stolen, multiple firearm charges and reckless driving charges.
Pomfret fugitive nabbed
On Nov. 29, Officer C. Gustafson of the Charles sheriff’s office arrested a 61-year-old Pomfret man who is wanted on a fugitive warrant in Fredericksburg, Va.
Michael David Turriff is wanted for failure to appear in court for felony shoplifting and felony drug charges.
Turriff was released on recognizance and a district court hearing on the fugitive charge is scheduled for Dec. 19.
Man charged with felony theft
On Dec. 3 at around 2:45 p.m., officers with the Charles sheriff’s office were contacted by the owner of D&J Core Suppliers, located at 2320 Old Washington Road in Waldorf, for a report of a theft.
Two people in a maroon Ford F-150 had scrapped $58.25 worth of product, charging documents said. After unloading the product at the business, the truck pulled to the front of the business and Larry Renae Swann, 43, of La Plata allegedly approached the cash window, wanting to be paid.
The employee at the cash window asked for the customer for Blessed Tire, which was a customer for another business that had scrapped $3,586, documents said. Swann allegedly said he was the employee and was falsely provided the money, according to police. Swann went back to the truck and left.
Swann was charged with felony theft between $1,500 and $25,000.
Man charged with burglary
On Dec. 3 at around 4:40 p.m., officers with the Charles sheriff’s office responded to a residence in Waldorf for someone entering their backyard.
Luis Luna-Morales, 23, of Waldorf, who also has a residence listed in Gaithersburg, allegedly “unlawfully” opened the man’s fenced in yard gate and pounded on the man’s rear sliding door, trying to “forcibly” pull it open, according to charging documents.
Luna-Morales had a strong odor of alcohol, glossy watery eyes and was “noticeably slurring his words,” documents said. Officers allegedly saw beer bottles in the passenger cup holder of his vehicle.
Luna-Morales provided a false name and later stated his correct name when the officers ran the registration for a white Nissan Altima that Luna-Morales allegedly said was his.
While on scene, officers received a call from a person who said someone drove his car onto this neighbor’s property and damaged it, documents said. While the caller was on the phone with the officers, Luna-Morales allegedly drove back around and threatened him and made gun shooting gestures. He allegedly hit a speed limit sign while driving off.
While at the Charles County Detention Center, Luna-Morales was “unsteady on his feet while walking on a flat, dry surface,” documents said. Luna-Morales allegedly said he made a mistake and was the one driving.
Luna-Morales was charged with burglary, fraud, destruction of property, reckless driving charges, driving under the influence, negligent driving and other driving charges.
Hollywood man charged with over 40 animal cruelty counts
In early November, Zachary Varda of the St. Mary’s County State’s Attorney’s Office filed charges in district court against a 47-year-old Hollywood man, who stands accused of mistreating farm animals.
Thomas Newton Ferrall IV is charged with 48 counts of animal cruelty. In court documents, Varda alleged Ferrall failed to provide food, drink and shelter to an emu, pig, goat and horse at his property.
A district court hearing on the charges Ferrall is facing is scheduled for Dec. 19.
Meanwhile, court records show Ferrall is facing felony theft charges in Charles County stemming from an Oct. 29 incident in which he and a 22-year-old Indian Head woman rented a Bobcat front loader with a bucket attachment and a tilt bed trailer from a La Plata business.
Ferrall’s accomplice, identified in court records as Leah Nicole Bradshaw, paid for a one-day rental of the equipment.
According to documents filed by Cpl. Kalen Kerere of the La Plata Police Department, the payment “did not go through.”
The equipment, which has a total value of $74,250, was not returned.
A district court hearing on the felony theft charges Ferrall and Bradshaw are facing is scheduled for Dec. 22.
Great Mills man charged with assault
On Nov. 29 around 6 p.m., deputies with the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a disturbance at an apartment complex in Great Mills.
According to court papers filed by Deputy Zachary Jerew of the sheriff’s office officers met a woman in the parking lot. She had blood and scratches on her face, Jerew said.
The woman said she had been involved in a loud verbal argument with Eriq Mercado, 36, of Great Mills.
Mercado’s accuser said he tried to strangle her during the incident. The defendant, who was inside the residence, told deputies he was also assaulted during the argument. The woman was not charged.
Mercado was charged with first-degree assault and second-degree assault.
On Nov. 30 Mercado posted $5,000 bond and was released. A district court hearing on the charges is scheduled for Dec. 29.
Waldorf man charged with assaulting deputies, resisting arrest
On Nov. 30, deputies from the St. Mary’s sheriff’s office responded to a disturbance in Great Mills. According to court documents filed by Deputy Travis Wimberly, the officers encountered Isaiah Lynn Washington, 29, of Waldorf, who became unruly when it was learned he has two outstanding warrants in the court system on trespassing charges.
Wimberly said Washington “was highly uncooperative and disrespectful. It took several deputies and troopers to subdue Washington after he was arrested.
Wimberly said Washington assaulted him and another deputy during the struggle.
Washington is charged with two counts of second-degree assault and resisting arrest. He remains held without bond.
A district court hearing on the charges Washington is facing is scheduled for Jan. 12.
P.G. man charged with illegal firearm possession
On Dec. 2, Deputy Cody Stamp was on patrol on Pegg Road when he saw a Toyota Solara that was sitting stationary against a curb. The vehicle was unoccupied, the engine was running and keys were in the ignition. It appeared the vehicle had been involved in a crash.
“I observed an assault rifle on the passenger side floorboard,” Stamp wrote in court papers.
Witnesses gave Stamp and other deputies a description of a man who was seen fleeing the site of the crash.
According to Stamp, a man matching the description was located about two miles from the crash scene after deputies conducted a search of the area.
Stamp said the man was seen entering another vehicle. That vehicle was stopped and the man who was believed to have been the driver of the abandoned Toyota was removed. The man was identified as Trevan Desales Gant, 22, of Hyattsville.
The owner of the vehicle found unoccupied on Pegg Road was contacted and confirmed the vehicle was not stolen.
A check of Gant showed he is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to previous convictions. He also does not have a valid license.
“Additionally, Gant is currently on a GPS monitor through Maryland Parole and Prevention Commission for the most recent firearms charge,” Stamp wrote in court papers.
Gant was charged with firearm possession with a felony conviction, illegal possession of a firearm and possessing a gun in a vehicle.
He is being held without bond. A district court hearing on the charges Gant is facing is scheduled for Dec. 30.
Anne Arundel man charged with drug distribution intent
On Dec. 6, Deputy Joshua Newton of the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office was on routine patrol on Route 260 in Owings when he observed a Honda Accord parked off the road near a dumpster. The deputy allegedly saw a man urinating on the property.
Newton approached the man and began to ask questions. The man became uncooperative and placed his hand in a pocket, hindering a search the deputy was conducting.
A 54-year-old female passenger was told to exit the man’s vehicle.
The driver was identified as Daniel Lee Riggs Sr., 64, of Lothian.
A subsequent search at the scene revealed quantities of suspected crack cocaine and suspected PCP, plus suspected drug paraphernalia.
Riggs was charged with possession of drugs with the intent to distribute, two counts of drug possession, possession of drug paraphernalia, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.
The woman passenger was not charged.
On Monday, Riggs posted $500 bond and was released. A district court hearing on the charges he is facing is scheduled for Jan. 2.
Chesapeake Beach man charged with assaulting woman
On Dec. 4, Deputy Hayden Jones of the Calvert sheriff’s office was sent to investigate reports of a possibly intoxicated man disturbing the peace. It was learned that the man, identified in court documents as Celso Jacinto Rateje, 24, of Chesapeake Beach, had gotten in an argument with an 18-year-old female and allegedly assaulted her.
Jones said in charging papers that the woman had red marks in her neck consistent with a strangulation attempt.
Rateje was located walking along a roadway and Jones said the defendant did appear to be intoxicated.
Rateje was charged with first-degree assault, second-degree assault and disorderly conduct. On Monday Rateje posted $5,000 and was released.
A district court hearing on the charges is scheduled for Jan. 2.
Unsolved burglary probed
On Nov. 22, Deputy Christopher Idol responded to a house on Power Drive in Lusby for the report of a burglary. The complainant reported returning home to find a motion light outside the residence had been broken. Upon entering the home, the interior was found in disarray, with items scattered throughout the rooms and a mirror damaged. Bags had also been emptied onto the floor. Nothing appeared to have been taken. The estimated value of the damaged property is $550.
Three at large in reported theft
On Nov. 19, Deputy Connor Currie responded to the Hallmark store located on Route 4 in Dunkirk for a reported theft. The complainant reported that someone stole a wallet containing multiple credit cards, a driver’s license, a Social Security card, insurance information and personal photographs.
Someone then attempted to purchase $500 in gift cards using one of the victim’s credit cards. Currie has identified three suspects in the case. The first suspect is described as a Black male in his mid-to-late 40s, heavy set, wearing tan sweatpants, a lightweight gray hood and a red baseball cap. The second suspect is described as a Black male in his late 30s, with a short, skinny build, wearing blue jeans, a black zip-up sweatshirt over a red hood, a red beanie, having a black beard and mustache. The third suspect is described as a Black male in his early 40s with a skinny build, dreadlocks, a black jacket and dark pants. All three were last seen entering a dark-colored SUV. This case remains under investigation.
Unsolved theft at Ulta
On Nov. 19, Cpl. Nick Buckler responded to Ulta Beauty, located on Route 2/4 in Prince Frederick, for a reported theft. Investigation revealed two men entered the store and reportedly stole several hair styling tools. One suspect is described as a Black male, 18-25 years of age, average build, wearing a black jacket, black jeans and white sneakers. The other suspect is described as a Black male, 13-18 years of age, small build, wearing a black beanie, gray hooded sweatshirt, gray sweatpants and black sneakers. The total value of the stolen property is $5,078.87. This case remains under investigation.
Anyone with information on this case or any other unsolved cases is asked to contact the sheriff’s office at 410-535-2800.
