Suspect Nabbed In Pines Break-Ins

Suspect Nabbed In Pines Break-Ins
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OCEAN PINES – A Salisbury man is in custody this week after Ocean Pines Police were able to connect him to several house burglaries in the community over a three-week period from late May to mid-June.

Ocean Pines Police this week arrested Joseph Glenn Cherone, 43, of Salisbury, after linking the suspect to at least three house burglaries in the community over a recent three-week period. Cherone has been charged with three counts each of first-degree burglary, third-degree burglary, fourth-degree burglary, theft over $500, conspiracy to commit first- and fourth-degree burglary and conspiracy to commit theft over $500.

A total of five house burglaries occurred in Ocean Pines over a three-week period from late May to the middle of June. Ocean Pines Police are continuing their investigation and additional charges against Cherone could follow. Cherone was taken before a District Court Commissioner and was being held in the Worcester County Jail on a $500,000 bond as of mid-week.

Counterfeiter Nabbed

OCEAN CITY – A Crofton man was arrested this week on theft and counterfeiting charges after attempting to pass phony $100 bills at a mid-town nightclub.

Around 12:30 a.m. on Monday, Ocean City police responded to Seacrets on 49th Street in reference to a suspect being detained by the establishment’s security staff for attempting to pass a counterfeit $100 bill. Officers met with the suspect, later identified as Michael Levend Williams, Jr., 29, who admitted to passing the counterfeit money. During the investigation, OCPD officers later recovered roughly 22 counterfeit $100 bills from the parking lot at Seacrets. The recovered bills all had the same serial number as the currency Williams attempted to use in the establishment.

The counterfeit $100 bills had a different texture than legitimate currency. According to the OCPD release, the bills appeared to have been washed $5 bills. The phony bill Williams tried to pass had $100 printed on it, but also had an Abraham Lincoln water mark on the right side. The bill’s security stripe read “USA Five” and was also discolored.

The OCPD has contacted the U.S. Secret Service regarding the incident. Anyone who believes he or she may have recovered one of the counterfeit $100 bills is urged to contact the OCPD at 410-723-6600. Williams was later seen by the District Court Commissioner and released on his own recognizance.

The U.S. Secret Service and the OCPD are taking the occasion to remind the public it has a role in maintaining the integrity of U.S. currency. Citizens can help safeguard against the threat of counterfeiters by becoming more familiar with U.S. currency and comparing a suspicious bill with a genuine bill of the same denomination and series and paying close attention to the quality of the paper and the printing.

Infant Injured In Domestic Assault

BERLIN – An Ocean Pines man was arrested on assault and reckless endangerment charges last weekend after an infant was dropped and injured during a domestic dispute with the child’s mother.

Shortly before 4 a.m. last Saturday, Maryland State Police troopers responded to a residence at the Pin Oak Apartments in Berlin for a reported domestic disturbance in the parking lot. The investigation revealed the suspect, later identified as Adrian David Manuel, 25, was involved in a physical altercation with the mother of his child during which the woman received minor injuries.

However, the investigation also revealed the woman was holding a 6-month-old child in her arms during the argument and ensuing altercation, during which the infant was dropped on concrete and received a head injury. The Berlin Fire Department responded to the scene and transported the infant to PRMC in Salisbury where he received treatment.

Manuel was arrested and charged with two counts of second-degree assault and one count of reckless endangerment. He was taken before a District Court Commissioner in Ocean City and was ordered held on a $7,500 bond.

More Domestic Assault

OCEAN CITY – A Baltimore man was arrested on assault charges last week after a domestic incident at a mobile home park in West Ocean City.

Around 10:30 p.m. last Thursday, a Maryland State Police trooper responded to the Delmarva Trailer Park in Ocean City for a reported domestic assault in progress. The investigation revealed the suspect, later identified as Nicholas Ryan Reynolds, 22, of Baltimore, had assaulted his girlfriend, 22, and his roommate, a 22-year-old New Jersey man.

Reynolds was arrested and charged with two counts of domestic assault. He was taken before a court commissioner and ordered held on a $10,000 bond.

Two Juveniles Snared

In Undercover Sting

OCEAN CITY – The Ocean City Police Department’s ongoing undercover sting operations targeting illegal narcotics sales on the Boardwalk resulted in the arrest of two more juveniles this week.

Police continued efforts to proactively keep drugs out of Ocean City and away from the Boardwalk with two more “buy-bust” operations conducted by the department’s narcotics unit last weekend. In the undercover operation, plainclothes narcotic detectives patrol the Boardwalk looking to buy illegal drugs from suspected dealers. In some cases, the detectives pose as dealers themselves in an effort to snare suspects looking to buy narcotics.

The operations have been conducted all summer and have been successful. Last weekend’s operation netted two more arrests and the seizure of a total of 24 grams of marijuana. The first suspect, a 16-year-old juvenile, was arrested and charged with distribution of marijuana after being found in possession of 20 grams of pot and $161 in currency. The second incident resulted in the arrest of a 15-year-old juvenile also charged with distribution after being found in possession of four grams of marijuana and $249 in currency.

The OCPD reminds citizens that buying and selling drugs on the Boardwalk, or any other place in Ocean City, is illegal and will not be tolerated. Officers will continue to conduct operations throughout the summer to assure Ocean City is safe and free of drugs.

Juveniles Arrested For Burglaries

OCEAN PINES – Three juveniles were arrested in Ocean Pines this week after an attempted theft was thwarted by the homeowner.

On Tuesday, Ocean Pines police arrested three local juveniles including a 16-year-old male, a 15-year-old male and a 14-year-old female, and charged them with theft and burglary after they broke into a north Ocean Pines residence. The homeowner interrupted the burglary and called police. The victim was able to identify one of the arrested youths, and through the investigation, police were able to identify and arrest all three suspects.

The money taken during the burglary, $110, was recovered by police and returned to the homeowner. The three juveniles were turned over to the Department of Juvenile Justice in Worcester County for adjudication.

Traffic Stop Nets Pot Bust

OCEAN PINES – A Delaware woman was arrested on marijuana possession charges last week after the vehicle she was riding in as a passenger was stopped in Ocean Pines for a routine traffic violation.

Last Wednesday, Ocean Pines police pulled over a vehicle in the community for a routine traffic stop. During the stop, the vehicle’s passenger, identified as Jennifer L. Helms, 21, of Dagsboro, was found to be in possession of a small amount of marijuana. Helms was arrested and charged with possession of suspected marijuana. She was taken before a District Court Commissioner and released on her own recognizance pending trial.

Juvenile Arrested For Car Thefts

OCEAN CITY – A 17-year-old juvenile was arrested on several counts of theft and theft scheme after a concerned citizen alerted resort police about him breaking into cars at the Inlet parking lot.

Around 8:30 p.m. last Tuesday, a concerned citizen alerted Ocean City police about a suspicious male breaking into cars at the Inlet parking lot. Officers arrived in the area and located a suspicious male matching the description provided by the witness exiting a parked car.

During the on-scene investigation, OCPD officers found a large amount of personal property on the suspect believed to be stolen from one of the vehicles in question. Eventually, the officers were able to locate the suspect’s own vehicle and also found what they believed was a large amount of personal property stolen from other vehicles.

The suspect, identified as a 17-year-old juvenile from Newark, Del., has now been linked to as many as seven thefts from cars that were parked at the Inlet parking lot. The suspect has been charged as a juvenile with multiple counts of theft, felony theft scheme and fourth-degree burglary. All of the stolen personal property has been returned to the victims.

The 17-year-old suspect was taken to the Ocean City Public Safety Building where he was seen by a representative of Maryland Juvenile Justice and was later released to his family pending action by juvenile justice authorities. OCPD Chief Bernadette DiPino commended the alert witness who informed the police of the suspicious activity.

“This citizen’s actions demonstrate the type of pro-active community partnership we enjoy with our citizens,” she said.

The OCPD took the occasion to remind citizens when leaving their vehicles parked to make certain the car windows are up and the vehicle is locked. Residents and visitors are also reminded to remove all valuable property out of sight by placing it in the trunk. If a car is an SUV or pick-up, the OCPD encourages placing valuable items in the rear storage area or on the floor covered by a towel or blanket.

Fine For Pot Possession

SNOW HILL – A Severn man arrested in February on drug possession and other charges on Assateague after a National Park Ranger observed his vehicle blocking traffic pleaded guilty last week in District Court to possession of paraphernalia and was fined $400.

Around 12:30 p.m. on Feb. 22, a National Park Ranger assigned to the Assateague Island National Seashore initiated a traffic stop on Ronald L. Arnold Jr., 43, for allegedly obstructing traffic along Bayberry Drive. The ranger called Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) to the scene for backup after observing Arnold and his passenger consuming alcoholic beverages.

During the course of the stop, NRP charged Arnold with possession of a controlled dangerous substance (CDS), marijuana, and possession of CDS paraphernalia. Arnold was also charged by the National Park Ranger with possession of an open container of alcoholic beverage.

Last week, Arnold pleaded guilty to possession of paraphernalia and was fined $400.

Identical Outcomes In Pot Busts

BERLIN – Two men arrested in March on marijuana possession charges after a routine traffic stop on Route 90 appeared for trial in District Court last week and came out with similar outcomes.

Around 4:30 p.m. on March 5, a Maryland State Police trooper stopped a 2003 Ford Explorer on Route 90 near Route 113 for a traffic violation. While approaching the vehicle, the trooper noticed a strong odor of marijuana coming from inside the Explorer. A probable cause search turned up nearly three grams of marijuana.

Both occupants of the vehicle, Benjamin O’Malley, 18, of Berlin, and Collin Travis Campbell, 18, of Brookeville, were arrested and charged with possession of marijuana and paraphernalia. Last week in District Court, each pleaded guilty to possession of marijuana and were placed on probation for one year and fined $300.

Choking Case Headed To Circuit

OCEAN CITY – An Ocean City man arrested in March on assault charges after an alleged attack on his girlfriend appeared in District Court this week for a preliminary hearing and requested a jury trial, forwarding his case to the Circuit Court level.

Around 11:30 p.m. on March 26, an OCPD officer was dispatched to the area of 4th Street and St. Louis Ave. for a reported assault in progress. The complainant alerted police to the incident said she had just spoken to her mother who lived in the area and that a person known only at the time as Jimmy was assaulting her mother. The officer responding to the scene knew from previous encounters the alleged victim dated a man named James D. Marx, 46, of Ocean City.

Upon arrival in the 4th Street area, the officer heard a woman’s screams and the yelling of “get off me” and determined the screaming was coming from a nearby apartment. As the officer approached the apartment, he could see clearly through a window in the door and observed Marx allegedly on top of the victim with his right hand over the victim’s mouth and his left hand around her neck.

The officer noted in his report Marx was holding the victim down on the couch and appeared to be choking her. The officer also noted the victim struggling with Marx and appeared to be trying to fight him off of her. The officer banged on the door several times before Marx opened hit. He was immediately handcuffed and taken into custody. The officer noted in his report the situation did not meet the criteria for a domestic assault because Marx was not living with the victim.

Marx was ultimately charged with second-degree assault. According to police reports, the victim said Marx had been assaulting her for several minutes before the officer arrived. She also said Marx was choking her and she thought he might kill her. This week, Marx requested a jury trial and his case was forwarded to Circuit Court.