10 Years For Possession

SNOW HILL — A Berlin man, arrested last September along with two other men on crack cocaine possession and other charges, pleaded guilty last week and was sentenced to 10 years in jail.

Around 2:35 p.m. last Sept. 26, the OCPD stopped a 2002 Nissan Altima with three occupants inside for a traffic violation in the area of 62nd Street and Coastal Highway. During the traffic stop, officers noticed two of the occupants shoving an unknown object under the front seat.

The driver was identified as Larry Dennell Floyd, Jr., 30, of Berlin, and a check of his status revealed his license was suspended. The two passengers were identified as Marty Tankard, Jr., 33, of Berlin, and Joel Lankford, 40, of Nanticoke. The investigation revealed the suspicious object shoved under the front seat was a beer bottle.

While officers were checking under the front seat, they observed a white, powdery substance believed to be crack cocaine. OCPD officers also recovered additional crack cocaine on the front and rear passenger seats. Floyd was arrested for driving on a suspended license, and Tankard and Lankford were arrested for possession of crack cocaine.

During the arrest process, Floyd became uncooperative and would not open his mouth. Officers suspected Floyd was concealing illegal drugs in his mouth and was attempting to swallow them. Officers attempted to get Floyd to spit out what was in his mouth, but he continued to refuse and resist arrest.

Due to Floyd’s level of resistance along with a concern he was attempting to swallow a potentially life-threatening drug, OCPD officers deployed a Taser and delivered one drive-stun to his back to gain compliance. Floyd immediately spit out the contents of his mouth, which turned out to be a large quantity of crack cocaine.

Floyd was taken to AGH as a precautionary measure for the possible drug consumption and the taser shot. He was evaluated and released to police custody. Floyd was charged with driving on a suspended license, possession and possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, resisting arrest, obstructing and hindering and various traffic offenses. Last week, Floyd pleaded guilty to possession of crack cocaine and was sentenced to 10 years in jail. In March, Tankard was found guilty of possession and was fined $100, while Lankford had the charges against him dropped in March.

Handgun Thief Sentenced

SNOW HILL — A Princess Anne man, arrested last December on theft and firearm possession charges after Worcester County Bureau of Investigation (WCBI) detectives were able to connect him to a series of handgun thefts from a Pocomoke business, pleaded guilty last week and was sentenced to 18 months in jail, most of which was suspended.

On Nov. 28, 2012, Pocomoke Police began an investigation into the theft of handguns from the Benelli USA Corp. in Pocomoke and WCBI detectives responded to assist. After extensive interviews with employees at Benelli, a potential suspect was identified as Ivy Darneild Matthews, 33, of Princess Anne.

Matthews had been a temporary worker at Benelli for less than a month when the handguns were discovered to be stolen. Search warrants were conducted on Matthews’ cell phone and residence, which revealed evidence of the theft of the guns and his intention to sell them. Matthews was arrested and charged with theft and possession of firearms by a prohibited person.

Last week, he entered an Alford plea to theft less than $1,000 and was sentenced to 18 months in jail with all but six months suspended. In an Alford plea, a defendant does not plead guilty, but acknowledges the state has enough evidence to prosecute. Matthew was also placed on probation for two years and fined $500.

Thief Pleads Guilty

SNOW HILL — An Ocean City man arrested in February after swiping a propeller and rudder from a boat in West Ocean City pleaded guilty last week in District Court and now awaits his fate pending a July sentencing hearing.

On Feb. 19, the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office responded to the area of Sunset Ave. in West Ocean City for a reported theft. The deputy met with a victim who reported that sometime over the weekend, an unknown suspect had stolen the propeller and rudder from his boat. The victim told police the propeller was about 48 inches in diameter and made of brass, and had an estimated worth in the range of $8,000 to $10,000. The victim told police the rudder was around three feet wide and four feet tall and the estimated cost of replacing it would be in a range of $2,000 to $3,000.

The next day on Feb. 20, the victim informed the Worcester County Bureau of Investigation (WCBI) that surveillance video recorded on Feb. 19 showed a pick-up truck with a white cap back up to the location where the boat was stored and from where the propeller and rudder were stolen. The victim further told police after reviewing the surveillance video, he saw a vehicle matching the description driving in the area where the thefts occurred.

The victim was able to provide WCBI detectives with registration information from the suspect vehicle and a check revealed the truck was registered to Kyle Joseph Owens, 20, of Ocean City. WCBI detectives then conducted a check of local pawn shops for any record of Owens’ name and discovered that on Feb. 16, Owens had sold 345 pounds of brass to a local scrap yard.

WCBI detectives responded to the scrap yard and made contact with the yard manager, who told police the brass Owens sold was a five-blade propeller, which was later determined to be the one stolen from the victim. The scrap yard manager also told detectives Owens had also scrapped a rudder at the same time the propeller was scrapped.

WCBI detectives later met with Owens, who admitted taking the rudder and propeller. He was charged with theft and trespassing. Last week, Owens pleaded guilty to theft, but was not immediately sentenced. A sentencing date has been set for July 15.

Three Years For Assault

SALISBURY — A Salisbury woman was found guilty of second-degree assault and sentenced to three years in jail for kicking and punching a nurse who was trying to provide her with medical care in the Wicomico County Detention Center last August.

Last August 19, Lindsey Marie Donophan, 24, of Salisbury, was in custody in the Wicomico County Detention Center when a nurse attempted to provide her with medical care. Donophan kicked and punched the nurse attempting to provide her with care and was charged with second-degree assault.

Last week, a Wicomico County jury found Donophan guilty and she was sentenced to eight years in the Department of Corrections with all but three months suspended.

Fishy Assault Arrest

SALISBURY — A Quantico man was arrested on assault charges last weekend after first teasing a female victim with a live fish before punching her boyfriend who confronted him about the incident.

Around 5:50 p.m. last Sunday, Wicomico County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a reported at assault at a residence on Giles Lane. Deputies met with a male victim who told police his roommate, identified as Hans Ellingsen, 53, of Quantico, had entered the room with a live fish that was “wiggling around” and presented it to the victim’s girlfriend, which made her upset.

When the victim confronted Ellingsen, the suspect allegedly punched him multiple times in the face with a close fist. Ellingsen then allegedly pulled out a knife and threatened to kill the victim and his girlfriend and also threatened to burn down the share residence. Ellingsen was arrested and charged with assault, reckless endangerment, threat of arson and dangerous weapon.