WEST OCEAN CITY — A Sykesville, Md. man was arrested on burglary, theft and other charges last week after admitting a break-in at a West Ocean City adult store last year.
Around 5 a.m. on Sept. 17, an unidentified man broke into the Red Light District. The store’s video surveillance tape showed the suspect, described as a white male with a slight build, wearing a black T-shirt and jeans, first attempting to break the store’s front door with a garden hose in the area.
When that attempt failed, the suspect then picked up a cinderblock nearby and attempted to throw it through the front door, but the block broke and the suspect’s second attempt to gain entry to the store failed. Finally, the suspect kicked the store’s door several times, causing the glass to break.
During the break-in, the suspect was cut and DNA evidence was collected from the scene. Last week, using analysis of video surveillance tapes and DNA evidence, the Worcester County Bureau of Investigation (WCBI) was able to identify the suspect as William Charles Pfister, 21, of Sykesville. When questioned about the burglary, Pfister admitted breaking into the adult store and stealing a sex toy valued at $99.
Pfister was charged with second- and fourth-degree burglary, malicious destruction of property under $500 and theft under $100. Pfister is currently being held in the Carroll County Detention Center on unrelated charged and is awaiting extradition to Worcester County where he will be taken before a District Court Commissioner.
Attempted Murder Suspect Arrested
SALISBURY — A Salisbury man was arrested on attempted murder and other charges last week after walking into a police station and informing officers he had just stabbed his girlfriend and believed her to be deceased.
Around 1:30 a.m. last Wednesday, a suspect later identified as Dennard Harper Cannon, 52, walked into the police station lobby and told officers he had just stabbed his girlfriend and that he believed she was deceased. Salisbury Police detained Cannon and sent officers to the residence on Catherine Street. The officers gained entry to the residence and found the female victim bleeding from wounds to her face and left side.
The victim was transported to PRMC for treatment of her injuries. The investigation revealed Cannon and the victim were involved in a domestic dispute, during which Cannon struck the victim with a glass table and a closed fist before stabbing her left side with a 10-inch steak knife. Cannon was then arrested and charged with attempted first-degree murder, first- and second-degree assault, two counts of reckless endangerment and two counts of possession of a deadly weapon.
Repeat Offender Gets 30 Years
SALISBURY — A Salisbury man arrested last January on drug distribution charges after being found in possession of nearly seven ounces of cocaine was sentenced last week to 30 years in prison.
Last Friday, Maurice Brown, 27, of Salisbury, was sentenced to 30 years in the custody of the Department of Corrections for drug and firearms convictions. Following an investigation, the Wicomico County Narcotics Task Force conducted a traffic stop on Brown on January 6, 2011, during which he was found in possession of 6.92 ounces of cocaine.
A subsequent search of Brown’s residence turned up $10,400 in currency, three handguns, digital scales and other drug paraphernalia. In December, Brown was convicted on six charges including possession and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime and possession of a firearm after being convicted of a felony.
A Wicomico County Circuit Court judge sentenced Brown to 25 years for the drug and firearms violations, 15 of which are the mandatory minimum for a repeat offender, limiting his chances of parole or probation for at least 15 years.
Two Convicted Of Burglary
SNOW HILL — Two Lower Shore men arrested in Ocean City on burglary charges after police observed them going in and out of downtown apartments each pleaded guilty last week to one count of first-degree burglary and each received the exact same sentence.
Around 4 a.m. on Aug. 11, an OCPD officer on bike patrol in the downtown area observed two individuals, later identified as Dashawn Andre Blake, Jr., 20, of Snow Hill, and Rodney Russell Fisher, Jr., 22, of Princess Anne, acting suspiciously in the area of 8th Street and Wilmington Ave. The officer followed the two men at a distance until observing them entering a residence and exiting quickly.
The officer detained Blake and Fisher for questioning and found them to be in possession of several video game discs. While questioning Blake and Fisher, the officer was contacted by residents of two apartments on 9th Street, who reported numerous items stolen from their residences including two lap-top computers, 50 video games, a Sony video gaming system, a Samsung flat-screen television and an I-pad computer.
Blake and Fisher were arrested and charged with first-degree burglary, theft over $10,000 and under $100,000, and theft under $1,000. Last week in Circuit Court, both Fisher and Blake pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree burglary and each was sentenced to five years in jail, all but one of which was then suspended. Each was placed on probation for three years and ordered to pay $2,187 in restitution to the victims.
Second-Degree Assault Conviction
SNOW HILL — One of three men arrested last July on first-degree assault and other charges after allegedly kicking and stomping a man in the 45th Street area pleaded guilty last week in Circuit Court to second-degree assault and was sentenced to three years in jail, all but one of which was then suspended.
Shortly before 3 a.m. on July 4, OCPD responded to the 45th Street area for a reported fight in progress. Upon arrival, OCPD officers met with a severely injured victim suffering severe wounds to his face, head and neck. The victim was unresponsive to the officers’ questions because of his injuries and was eventually transported to an area hospital.
Police met with the victim’s wife who said her husband had been in a fight with several Hispanic males. During the fight, the victim was pushed to the ground and the suspects repeatedly kicked him in the head, face and neck. The victim’s wife said the beating went on for several minutes before the suspects heard police sirens and fled the area.
The victim’s wife and several witnesses provided police with a description of the suspects and the Acura sedan in which they were traveling. The Acura was spotted a short time later in the 42nd Street area, and when the officers stopped and approached the vehicle, two of the suspects got out and fled on foot despite orders from police to stop.
However, three suspects remained in the vehicle and were detained until the victim’s wife and other witnesses were brought to the scene to identify them as the attackers.
The three suspects, identified as Oscar Segovia, 22, of Hyattsville, Jonathan Lopez, 20, of Bladensburg, and Henry Sorto, 23, of Beltsville, were each arrested and charged with first- and second-degree assault, reckless endangerment and disorderly conduct for “endangering the victim’s life by kicking him in the head and neck,” according to police reports.
Last week, Sorto pleaded guilty to second-degree assault and was sentenced to three years in jail, all but one of which was then suspended. He was also placed on probation for two years and fined $500, along with being ordered to pay $2,187 in restitution to the victim. Segovia and Lopez are scheduled to appear for trial next month.
Cop Assaulter Sentenced
SNOW HILL — A Whaleyville man arrested last year on numerous charges after Berlin Police found him and another man sleeping in a vehicle in the middle of a Berlin intersection with weapons in plain view was found guilty this week of second-degree assault and was sentenced to 90 days in jail, most of which was suspended in favor of probation and a fine.
Around 11 p.m. on Sept. 30, 2011, a Berlin police officer observed a vehicle in the middle of the intersection of Old Ocean City Blvd. and southbound Worcester Highway. Upon approaching the vehicle, the officer observed a shotgun in the rear seat and a rifle beside the passenger. Both the driver, later identified as Daniel Lekites, 22, of Berlin, and the passenger, later identified as Matthew Reed, 25, of Whaleyville, were slumped over and asleep in the vehicle while it was still in drive.
When Berlin Police opened the vehicle and seized the weapon, Reed became hostile and fought with the officers. Reed was eventually brought under control and was arrested and charged with second-degree assault on a police office, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct. Reed was taken to nearby Atlantic General Hospital for treatment of injuries received during the altercation.
On Monday, Reed was found guilty of second-degree assault and was sentenced to 90 days in jail, 70 of which were suspended. He was also placed on probation for three years and fined $200. Lekites received probation before judgment on the DUI charge back in November.