Assault In Berlin
BERLIN – A Berlin man was arrested on assault and weapons charges early Monday morning after allegedly attacking a female victim with whom he lives.
Around 12:30 a.m. on Monday, Maryland State Police troopers responded to a reported assault on Hayes Landing Rd. Upon arrival, the troopers made contact with a suspect, identified as Christian Eckle Edwards, 35, of Berlin, who was reportedly extremely intoxicated. The investigation revealed Edwards had assaulted a 60-year-old female victim who resides with him.
The victim sustained minor injuries and was treated by EMS. Edwards was arrested and charged with second-degree assault. Once Edwards was in custody, police found a large knife concealed in a backpack the suspect was carrying and possession of a concealed deadly weapon charges were tacked on.
First-Degree Assault Charges
BERLIN – A Pocomoke woman was arrested on first-degree assault charges last weekend after intentionally ramming her vehicle into another vehicle with two people inside.
Around 12:15 a.m. last Sunday, Maryland State Police troopers and Worcester County Sheriff’s deputies responded to an area on Route 113 for a reported domestic dispute. Upon arrival, the officers observed a suspect, later identified as Keisha Harris, 26, smashing out several windows of a vehicle belonging to Jerone Scruggs, 26, of Pocomoke.
The investigation revealed before police arrived Harris had intentionally rammed her vehicle into another vehicle occupied by Janika Collick and Teirra Collick. Harris was arrested and charged with two counts each of first-degree assault, second-degree assault and reckless endangerment.
10 Years For Dealing
SNOW HILL – An Ocean City woman arrested in January on distribution of illegal prescription drug charges was found guilty last week in Circuit Court and was sentenced to the mandatory 10 years for the offense.
On Jan. 27, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) narcotics detectives arrested Miranda Florio, 22, after a two-month investigation into her illegal distribution of prescription drugs. OCPD detectives obtained a search and seizure warrant for Florio’s Ocean City residence and recovered various items of drug paraphernalia. She was arrested and charged with three counts of distribution of prescription medication and four counts of possession of controlled dangerous substances.
Last week, Florio was found guilty of distribution of the prescription drugs buprenorphine and naloxone and was sentenced to 10 years in jail, the mandatory minimum sentence for the charge.
OC Dealer Sentenced
SNOW HILL – An Ocean City man arrested last May on several serious drug charges after a year-long investigation into drug distribution in the resort was found guilty this week in Circuit Court of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of marijuana and was sentenced to 10 years in jail.
In May, OCPD narcotics agents made a significant drug bust in the resort after a year-long investigation into three individuals. The primary subject of the investigation was Claiton Pacheco, 38, who detectives had suspected of distributing narcotics for the last 12 months.
OCPD narcotics detectives executed a search and seizure warrant at Pacheco’s residence on 43rd Street. Once inside, police located Pacheco along with two other suspects. Inside the residence, police recovered crack cocaine and numerous items of drug paraphernalia. Pacheco was arrested and charged with seven counts of distributing cocaine, eight counts of possession of cocaine and one count of possession of crack cocaine.
This week in Circuit Court, Pacheco was found guilty of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and was sentenced to 10 years in jail. He was also found guilty of possession of marijuana and was sentenced to one year in jail, which was merged with the other charge, netting a total sentence of 10 years.
Wheel Grabber Not Guilty
OCEAN CITY – A Salisbury man arrested in April on assault and reckless endangerment charges after allegedly grabbing the wheel of the vehicle his girlfriend was driving, causing it to swerve into the path of a pick-up truck with four people riding in the back, had most of the charges against him dropped this week in District Court and was found not guilty on the only other one.
Around 3:50 a.m. on April 24, an OCPD officer on routine patrol began following a blue Ford on Coastal Highway after observing the female driver and her male passenger, later identified as Dale Anderson Gibbs, Jr., 22, in an apparent argument. According to police reports, both occupants appeared to be in a heated argument and Gibbs could be seen flailing his arms.
At one point, the vehicle pulled into the left turn lane at 59th Street and came to a complete stop midway in the lane as the argument apparently continued before proceeding south again on Coastal Highway. As the vehicle approached 49th Street, the officer, who was still following close behind, observed it swerve sharply from the left lane into the middle lane before the driver corrected the maneuver.
A similar incident happened at 27th Street, according to police reports. The vehicle swerved sharply from the left lane into the center lane, which was occupied by a pick-up truck with no less than four passengers riding in the back. As a result, the passenger truck also had to swerve to avoid a collision with the Ford.
The female driver then hit the breaks in the middle of the left lane, causing the police cruiser following behind it to do the same to avoid a collision. According to police reports, the police car stopped just a foot short of running into the back of the Ford. The officer pulled over the vehicle and made contact with the female driver, who was visibly upset and shaking, according to police reports.
The officer asked the driver why she had swerved two times, the second time almost hitting the pick-up truck full of passengers. The driver explained Gibbs had twice grabbed the steering wheel while the vehicle was driving down Coastal Highway and pulled the vehicle from the left lane into the center lane.
As a result, Gibbs was arrested and charged with first- and second-degree assault and two counts of reckless endangerment. This week in District Court, Gibbs was found not guilty on the reckless endangerment charge and the other charges against him were not prosecuted.
Suspended Sentence For
Attempted Armed Robbery
SNOW HILL – An Ocean Pines man arrested last year on several serious charges after police were able to identify him as the suspect in an attempted armed robbery at a store in the community pleaded guilty this week in Circuit Court to theft and was sentenced to 18 months in jail, all of which was suspended in favor of a fine and lengthy probation period.
Shortly after 8 p.m. on Dec. 15, 2009, Ocean Pines Police officers and Worcester County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the Walgreen’s store on Manklin Creek Rd. in Ocean Pines for a reported attempted armed robbery. The investigation revealed a suspect entered the warehouse area of the store and accosted a female employee.
The suspect, armed with a knife, demanded the female employee take him to a cash register inside the main store. Once inside, the employee was able to flee the victim, who gave up the effort and fled on foot. Worcester County Sheriff’s Deputies, including a K-9 unit, conducted an extensive search of the area but failed to immediately locate the suspect.
However, Worcester County Bureau of Investigation (WCBI) detectives took over the investigation and were able to identify the suspect as Patrick William Self, 18, of Ocean Pines. Charges including armed robbery, first- and second-degree assault and reckless endangerment were filed against Self and he was taken into custody.
This week in Circuit Court, Self pleaded guilty to theft and was sentenced to 18 months in jail. The sentence was then suspended and Self was placed on supervised probation for three years and fined $500.
Probation, Fine For Death Threat
OCEAN CITY – A Pennsylvania man, arrested on first-degree assault and other serious charges in June for threatening to kill a downtown apartment building owner during an apparent domestic situation in front of a large crowd of people on the Boardwalk, pleaded guilty last week in District Court to second-degree assault and was sentenced to a year in jail, which was then suspended in favor of probation and a fine.
Shortly after midnight June 20, the OCPD was dispatched to the area of 6th Street for a report of a disorderly male screaming and threatening to kill someone. When the officers arrived, they discovered the suspect, later identified as Devon James Hentosh, 21, of Lincoln University, Pa., yelling, “I’m going to kill you,” while charging another man with a knife, according to police reports.
The officers observed a large crowd of about 200 individuals had rushed over from the Boardwalk to witness the confrontation in the street, according to police reports. The officers observed Hentosh charge at the man with a knife held out in front of him while yelling, “how dare you [expletive deleted] tell me how to care for my kid,” according to police reports.
The officers ordered Hentosh to the ground at gunpoint, to which he complied, closing the knife and throwing it on the ground. He was taken into custody without incident and placed under arrest. During the arrest process, Hentosh allegedly told police, “I know why you did what you did and I was wrong, but ain’t no [expletive deleted] foreigner gonna tell me how I’m gonna raise my child.”
The building owner told police Hentosh screamed obscenities at his wife in front of a large group of people and threatened to pull a knife. When the altercation between Hentosh and the apartment building owner spilled into the street, Hentosh allegedly pulled a knife from his pocket and charged the victim, saying, “I’ll kill you and our family,” although it is unclear exactly what the relationship was between the victim and Hentosh.
Hentosh was arrested without further incident and charged with first- and second-degree assault, reckless endangerment and disorderly conduct. Last week, he pleaded guilty to second-degree assault and was sentenced to one year in jail, which was suspended. He was then placed on probation for two years and fined $500.
Armed Robber Nabbed
BERLIN – Worcester County Bureau of Investigations (WCBI) detectives this week arrested a suspect wanted in connection with an armed robbery at a Pocomoke convenience store in August.
On Aug. 19, a suspect entered the Duck Inn convenience store in Pocomoke, threatened the store clerks with a handgun and robbed the store before fleeing on foot. Through the investigation, WCBI detectives identified the suspect as Wayne Franklin Tyler, 32, of Pocomoke. This week, police located Tyler and placed him under arrest. Tyler has been charged with armed robbery and other offenses related to the robbery. He is being held this week in the Worcester County Jail on a $250,000 bond.
Meanwhile, the same Duck Inn store was robbed again the following Friday, August 27, at gunpoint, although it is uncertain if Tyler is considered a suspect in that incident. Detectives are asking the public if anyone has information regarding either of the two robberies to contact WCBI at 410-352-3476 or the Pocomoke Police Department at 410-957-1600.