Grinch Steals Christmas

Grinch Steals Christmas
Social Issues Government50

SALISBURY — Local police this week are looking for the suspect or suspects who broke into a Salisbury residence and stole wrapped presents from under a Christmas tree.

Shortly after 6 p.m. last Sunday, Maryland State Police troopers responded to a residence on South Westover Drive for a reported burglary. The investigation revealed a suspect or suspects had broken into the residence through a side door. Once inside, the suspect or suspects unwrapped numerous gifts that had been placed under the family’s Christmas tree.

The gifts were destined for the family’s young children, including a disabled child, according to police reports. The suspect or suspects removed numerous items from the home, including a laptop computer intended for the family’s young son. The suspect or suspects left behind the wrappings from the Christmas gifts.

The incident was the latest in a series of similar burglaries in the same area over the last two weeks. Anyone with information is urged to contact the MSP Salisbury barrack at 410-749-3101, or the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Department at 410-548-4891.

Four Years For Heroin Possession

SNOW HILL — One of two people arrested on drug distribution charges in July after a Quick Response Team (QRT) raid on their Ocean City residence was found guilty this week in Circuit Court of possession of heroin and was sentenced to four years in jail.

During the month of July, OCPD detectives initiated an investigation into the drug-dealing activities of Jason Thomas Kincaid, 36, of Ocean City. On July 9, detectives obtained a search and seizure warrant for Kincaid’s residence on Trimper Ave. Around 9:45 p.m., OCPD detectives observed Kincaid and a female, later identified as Maureen Gray, 34, also of Ocean City, enter Kincaid’s residence.

The QRT then entered the residence armed with the search and seizure warrant and found Kincaid and Gray in a bedroom. During a search of Kincaid’s room, OCPD detectives found 24 individually wrapped paper bags containing suspected heroin. Stamped on the bags was the image of an assault rifle and the word “Taliban.” Also found in Kincaid’s room were seven plastic baggies containing crack cocaine and two oxycodone pills, a digital scale, a box of plastic Baggies and other paraphernalia.

During the search, police located Gray’s purse on the floor in the bedroom and found three plastic bags containing heroin marked in the same way as the other bags with the assault rifle image and the word “Taliban.” Kincaid was arrested and charged with possession with intent to distribute heroin and crack cocaine, while Gray was charged with possession of heroin and crack cocaine.

Last week in Circuit Court, Kincaid was found guilty of possession of heroin and was sentenced to four years in jail. Gray is scheduled to appear for trial in January.

Shot Fired Downtown

SALISBURY — A Salisbury man was arrested on reckless endangerment, disturbing the peace and other charges last week after allegedly discharging a shotgun in the downtown area.

Around 3:20 a.m. last Saturday, Salisbury Police responded to the South Main Street area for a report of a man with a gun. Officers met with witnesses who reported they had seen a suspect, later identified as Scott Baish, 26, of Salisbury, in the common area of the apartment building with a long gun.

A short time later, the witnesses heard a gunshot emanating from the area of Baish’s apartment. Officers secured the area and detained Baish without further incident. Members of the Criminal Investigation Division responded and executed a search and seizure warrant on Baish’s apartment. Detectives recovered a shotgun, ammunition and other physical evidence consistent with witness accounts.

No one was injured, nor was any property damaged. Baish was arrested and charged with reckless endangerment, disturbing the peace and discharging a firearm within city limits.

Two Arrested For Arson

SALISBURY — Two Salisbury men were arrested this week on first-degree arson and other charges after an investigation by the state Fire Marshal’s Office determined they were responsible for a residential fire on Gloucester Court in late November.

Deputy State Fire Marshals determined an accelerant was used to ignite common combustibles in the kitchen of the home on Gloucester Court on Nov. 27. The fire caused an estimated $10,000 in damages. The investigation revealed the occupant of the residence, identified as Jaime L. Dailey, 35, of Salisbury, and her accomplice, identified as Ryan J. Searcey, 24, of Salisbury, were responsible for setting the fire.

Dailey and Searcey were taken into custody on Monday without incident and were transported to Wicomico County Central Booking where they awaited an initial appearance before a District Court Commissioner. Each has been charged with first-degree arson and malicious destruction of property and each faces a maximum penalty of 33 years in prison and/or $52,000 in fines.

Attempted Rape Suspect
Guilty On Lesser Charges

SNOW HILL — An Ocean City man arrested in May on attempted rape and other charges, after an alleged sexual assault on a female victim after calling in a bogus assault charge against her boyfriend to get him out of the way, was cleared of some of the more serious charges this week in Circuit Court, but was found guilty on some others.

Shortly after 2 a.m. on May 24, Ocean City Police responded to a residence on Wicomico Street for a reported sexual assault. The victim told police she was asleep in her apartment, which she shares with her boyfriend. The victim’s boyfriend was out with a mutual acquaintance, later identified as Rodney Gregory Henri, 27, of no fixed address.

The victim told police she awoke to find someone, whom she believed at first was her boyfriend, touching her. As the victim awoke, she quickly became aware the individual assaulting her was not her boyfriend, but instead was allegedly Henri. The victim objected and told Henri to get off her, but Henri allegedly just continued the assault, according to the victim’s testimony.

The victim continued to yell at Henri to stop and was eventually able to push the suspect away. Henri eventually fled the scene and the victim watched as he headed east and then north on Baltimore Ave. Henri was located a short time later in an apartment on N. Division Street and was taken into custody. The victim later identified Henri as her alleged attacker.   

Further investigation revealed Henri had called 911 prior to the alleged sexual attack to report the victim’s boyfriend, Joshua Sowers, 21, of Ocean City, had assaulted him in front of a convenience store on N. Division Street. Henri called 911 and reported Sowers was intoxicated and assaulted him. Henri then called 911 a second time and told dispatchers Sowers was still in front of the store and that he had a knife.

According to police reports, Henri then lurked in the shadows near the store and watched as Sowers was arrested on suspicion of assault, according to police reports.

“It is obvious Henri set in motion the arrest of Sowers in order to clear the way for his sexual assault on [the female victim],” the charging documents read. “The victim was alone, asleep in the room, when Henri broke into the tiny apartment and sexually assaulted the victim against her will.”

The victim and her boyfriend told police the door to the apartment was closed and locked when the two men left. According to police reports, Henri forced entry into the unit and assaulted the victim.

“He then entered the unit without permission with the sole intent being to sexually assault and probably rape [the victim],” the charging documents read. “The rape plan was thwarted by the [victim’s] resisting his attack and yelling. Her actions alone caused Henri to flee the area and seek refuge in the apartment where he was later arrested.”

Henri was charged with attempted second-degree rape, first- and third-degree burglary, second-degree assault and a third-degree sex offense. He admitted to police he did not have a fixed address because he had just been released from jail on a prior conviction just 10 days earlier. In April, Henri was found guilty of second-degree assault and resisting arrest for an incident on March 14 and was sentenced at the time to 30 days in jail.

On Monday, Henri was acquitted on several charges including attempted first-degree rape, second-degree rape, third-degree sex offense and false statement to a police officer. However, he was found guilty to a fourth-degree sex offense, third- and fourth-degree burglary and second-degree assault and a pre-sentence investigation was ordered. Sentencing has been set for Jan. 18.