SNOW HILL — A Bowie, Md. man, arrested last September after breaking into and trashing a county liquor store in north Ocean City, pleaded guilty last week to second-degree burglary and was sentenced to 15 years, all but three years of which was then suspended.
Around 1:15 a.m. last Sept. 11, Ocean City Police responded to the county’s Department of Liquor Control store at the Gold Coast Mall after Ocean City Communications was alerted of a premise alarm at the business. As OCPD officers arrived they observed the suspect, later identified as Gregory Burley, 20, of Bowie, inside the business, but he quickly fled the scene on foot.
Multiple officers arrived to assist in the search for Burley, including Maryland State Police troopers and Worcester County Sheriff’s deputies. Burley was ultimately located hiding under a minivan in the parking lot nearby and he was arrested without incident.
At the business, officers observed multiple broken windows, significant damage to interior walls and damage to an alarm speaker. A shopping cart was found full of various bottles of liquor and several bottles of liquor were broken on the floor in the store.
Burley was charged with two counts of breaking and entering, theft less than $1,000, two counts of malicious destruction of property over $1,000 and making false statements to a police officer.
Last week, Burley pleaded guilty to second-degree assault and was sentenced to 15 years, all but three of which were then suspended. He was also placed on probation for five years upon his release and was ordered to pay around $820 in restitution to the Worcester County Department of Liquor Control.
Suspended Sentence For Vehicle Theft
OCEAN CITY — A Virginia man, arrested last August on auto theft charges after a license plate reader on Route 50 detected the stolen car entering Ocean City, pleaded guilty last week and was sentenced to 90 days, all of which was suspended in favor of probation and a fine.
Around 11:15 a.m. last Aug. 27, Ocean City Communications received an alert on Route 50 of a stolen vehicle. The vehicle was reported stolen out of Accomack County, Va. A description of the vehicle was broadcast by dispatchers and OCPD officers quickly located the vehicle parked in the area of Worcester Street and Philadelphia Avenue. The vehicle was occupied by three males who were each detained without incident.
One suspect, identified as Traquan Spady, 18, of Eastville, Va., was in the driver’s seat and in possession of an open container of alcohol. It was later learned another suspect in the vehicle, identified as Rontari Warren, 21, of Birdsnest, Va., was wanted in South Carolina for a probation violation for second-degree burglary. A third suspect was released on the scene.
A short time later, a concerned citizen located a handgun near the scene of the incident. OCPD officers determined the handgun had been thrown out of the vehicle’s window by Warren when officers approached the stolen car. Warren was charged with two counts of possession of a handgun, two counts of illegal possession of a firearm, possession of a stolen firearm, possession of a firearm after a prior felony conviction and knowingly altering a firearm identification number. Spady was charged with theft less than $10,000, theft of a motor vehicle and possession of an open container.
Last week, Spady pleaded guilty to unlawful taking of a motor vehicle. He was sentenced to 90 days, which was then suspended. Spady was placed on probation for 18 months and fined $500. He was also ordered to pay $100 in restitution to the victim.
In January, Warren was found guilty of carrying a handgun in a vehicle and illegal possession of a firearm. He was sentenced to five years, all but 18 months of which was then suspended. He was also placed on probation for two years upon his release and fined $500.
Assault Suspects Guilty
SNOW HILL — Two Baltimore men, arrested last August after refusing to pay a taxi cab fare and threatening and assaulting the driver, pleaded guilty last week to second-degree assault and now await their fate pending a pre-sentence investigation.
Around 2:45 a.m. last Aug. 17, Ocean City Police responded to the area of 126th Street and Coastal Highway for a reported armed robbery. The investigation revealed four individuals refused to pay the taxi cab fare. Two of the individuals, later identified as Justin M. Washington, 26, and Troy M. Thomas, 24, both of Baltimore, threatened and assaulted the driver before stealing $60 in cash and the keys to the taxi.
Upon arrival on the scene, OCPD officers observed Washington and Thomas chasing the taxi driver south on Coastal Highway. Thomas allegedly had a softball-sized rock in his possession at the time. Washington was taken into custody at the scene without further incident. Thomas fled to a nearby condominium and was later arrested.
Thomas was charged with first- and second-degree assault, armed robbery, robbery, theft less than $100 and possession of a deadly weapon. Washington was charged with second-degree assault, robbery and theft less than $100.
In separate trials last week, both Thomas and Washington were found guilty of second-degree assault and were acquitted on other charges. Both defendants have sentencing hearings set for May.
Hefty Fine For Possession
OCEAN CITY — A local woman, arrested in November on theft and drug charges after a police license plate reader near the Route 50 Bridge picked up a stolen tag on their vehicle, pleaded guilty to possession and driving on a suspended license this week and was fined and placed on probation.
Around 1:15 a.m. last Nov. 23, Ocean City Police Communications received a License Plate Reader (LPR) hit for a stolen license plate displayed on a vehicle that had just entered Ocean City via the Route 50 Bridge. Police Communications indicated the vehicle displaying the stolen tag had just pulled into the 7-Eleven on North Division Street and parked.
The vehicle was described as a blue Ford Mustang and the tag displayed on the rear of the vehicle had been reported stolen in Salisbury. Two OCPD officers responded and found the Mustang parked in the convenience store parking lot with two individuals inside.
As the officers approached, a female suspect identified as Megan Smullen, 28, of Parsonsburg, exited the driver’s side door. Another male suspect, later identified as David Messick, 28, of Salisbury, exited from the front passenger door. Officers later determined Messick was the registered owner of the vehicle.
As Messick exited the vehicle, he dropped a metal spoon to the ground. When he observed the officers, Messick picked up the spoon and walked away from the officers, according to police reports. The officer ordered Messick to the rear of the vehicle and ordered him to show him his hands. The officers asked Smullen and Messick to sit on the curb and Messick continued to grab at his right front pants pocket.
The officers asked Messick where the metal spoon was that they had observed him drop on the ground and he produced the spoon from his pants pocket. Messick told the officers he used the spoon to eat cereal, but when the officers observed the spoon, it had burn marks on the bottom and a white powdery residue on top. Upon further questioning, Messick admitted he was a heroin user.
Meanwhile, the officers questioned Smullen, who told them her license was suspended and that she had been driving just prior to their encounter with her. A background check revealed Smullen’s license was suspended and that the tag on the back of the vehicle had been reported stolen.
In the grassy area in front of the vehicle, officers observed a glass pipe and other paraphernalia indicative of crack cocaine use. Video surveillance revealed the glass pipe was the object Messick had been seen throwing to the ground. A search of the suspects and the vehicle turned up several more items of crack cocaine paraphernalia. The Mustang belonged to Messick and he told police he had stolen the plate from a vehicle at his father’s shop. Smullen and Messick were arrested and each charged with theft and various drug and traffic counts.
On Wednesday, Smullen pleaded guilty to possession of CDS and was sentenced to 18 months, all of which was then suspended. For that offense, she was fined $1,000 and placed on probation for three years. Smullen was also found guilty of driving on a suspended license and was fined $500 for that offense. Meanwhile, Messick prayed for a jury trial and has his case forwarded to Circuit Court.
Underwear Threat
SALISBURY — A Salisbury man was arrested on multiple charges last week after allegedly threatening a Wicomico County Sheriff’s deputy while wearing only his underwear during the officer’s investigation of a separate incident.
Around 2 a.m. last Saturday, a Wicomico County Sheriff’s deputy responded to a residence on Pheasant Drive to speak with an individual about his possible involvement in a hit-and-run incident. While the officer was speaking with the individual about the unrelated incident, his housemate, later identified as Mark Townsend, 42, of Salisbury, exited the residence clad only in his underwear.
According to police reports, Townsend began approaching the deputy in an aggressive manner while yelling loudly. As Townsend advanced toward the deputy with clenched fists, the officer instructed him to retreat back into the residence. Instead of complying, Townsend continued toward the deputy, making profanity-laced threats, according to police reports.
Ultimately, the deputy took the necessary steps to cease Townsend’s aggressive actions and take him into custody. Townsend allegedly struggled against the deputy’s attempts to place him into handcuffs while he continued to yell threats at the officer.
Townsend was arrested and charged with attempted second-degree assault, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. He was taken before a District Court Commissioner and was ordered to be held on a $5,000 bond.
Roadside Robbery
SALISBURY — Two local residents face robbery and assault charges this week after allegedly robbing a man along a dark, rural road and leaving him on the roadside last week.
Last Thursday, two suspects identified as James Davis III, 29, of Princess Anne, and Courtney Ferrell, 30, of Quantico, allegedly picked up a male on the side of the road in a rural area of Wicomico County. According to police reports, Ferrell was driving and pulled to the side of a dark road while Davis grabbed the male victim around the neck from behind from the back seat.
According to police reports, Ferrell searched the victim’s pockets and removed his wallet before pushing him out on the side of the road. Ferrell and Davis were later located and both were charged with robbery, assault and theft under $1,000. Both were retained on $150,000 bonds.
OCPD Officers Honored
OCEAN CITY — Two Ocean City police officers were recently honored with Officer of the Year Awards by the American Legion Post 166 and Ocean City Knights of Columbus.
OCPD Pfc. Michael Valerio received the Officer of the Year award from the American Legion and Pfc. Nathan Kutz received the similar honor from the Knights of Columbus. Both officers are members of the Ocean City Police Department’s Traffic Safety Unit and were recently finalists for the Neighborhood Watch Officer of the Year.
“Pfc. Valerio and Pfc. Kutz are both very driven, ambitious officers who are dedicated to the safety of our roadways,” said Chief Ross Buzzuro. “They are both exemplary officers that are very deserving of these awards.”
Valerio joined the Ocean City Police Department as a seasonal public safety aide in 2007. He returned in 2008 as a seasonal police officer and worked each summer until being hired as a full-time police officer in 2012. Valerio joined the Traffic Safety Unit in the fall of 2013 and since then, has obtained training in on-scene traffic crash-traffic homicide investigations, advanced traffic crash investigations and crash reconstruction. Valerio is also a certified drug recognition expert trained to recognize impairment in drivers who are under the influence of drugs other than, or in addition to, alcohol.
Kutz joined the OCPD as a seasonal police officer in 2009 and later was hired as a full-time police officer in 2012. He joined the Traffic Safety Unit in 2012 and has advanced training in traffic crash investigations, drug and alcohol impaired driving investigations and breath test instruments. In 2015, Kutz made 1,722 traffic stops and 160 arrests, 90 of which were DUI arrests. Kutz was honored last week with an Officer of the Year Award by the Knights of Columbus. In 2014, Kutz earned the Officer of the Year award from the American Legion.