Guilty Plea In Rape Case
SNOW HILL — A Georgetown, Del. man, charged with rape last April after a sexual assault at an uptown Ocean City residence, pleaded guilty last week and now awaits his fate pending a pre-sentence investigation.
Around 4 a.m. on April 13, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer on patrol in the 141st Street area was approached by a female who needed help. The victim told police she had just woken up in a house naked and did not know where she was. The victim told police she did not remember everything that had happened throughout the night and that she believed she had been raped.
The victim told police she had gone to a downtown bar with a friend and that they had met up with two men she knew including Isaac Lopez, 21, of Georgetown. The victim told police the group stayed at the bar until closing time and then shared a cab to a residence on 12th Street.
Around 2:50 a.m., the group decided to check out another party uptown at 141st Street and took a cab to the location. The victim told police Lopez and the other man had to wake her up in the cab when they arrived at 141st Street and they went into the residence where a supposed party was going on, but there was only one individual there sleeping on a couch.
The victim told police with nothing else going on, she went into a bedroom across the hall and laid down on the bed fully clothed and went to sleep. The victim told police she awoke a short time later and observed a light she believed was a cell phone camera. She also noticed that someone was lying on top of her in the midst of having sexual intercourse with her. As she became more aware of her surroundings, the victim told police she observed one of the men she came to the residence with away from the bed filming her with a cell phone.
The victim told police she pushed the person off of her, whom she believed was Lopez because he was on the bed when she stood up and there was no one else in the room except the cameraman. The victim said she was naked below the waist, but found her clothes and quickly got dressed and left, which is when she flagged down the OCPD officer.
The victim was taken to Atlantic General Hospital to have a SAFE exam. OCPD detectives located Lopez and the other man and brought them in for questioning. Both Lopez and the other man told police Lopez had consensual sex with the victim. Upon further questioning, the other man admitted he had video-recorded some of the sexual contact between Lopez and the victim and that he used his cell phone to record the footage.
After consent was given to search the phone, OCPD detectives located two videos of Lopez allegedly having intercourse with the apparently unconscious victim. According to police reports, the victim was motionless throughout the videos and there were also still photographs of Lopez allegedly sexually assaulting the victim on the phone. According to police reports, there was audio in the videos that include at least one person laughing.
According to police reports, Lopez admitted to having sexual intercourse with the victim after she fell asleep. He also admitted the other acquaintance in the room had used his phone to record the sex acts.
When questioned again, the victim said she went to sleep fully clothed with her purse still around her neck because she was sleeping in an unfamiliar place. She told police she never consented to have sexual intercourse with him. She reiterated she awoke to the light of the cell phone that was filming the act.
Sentencing was deferred last week pending a pre-sentence investigation and a hearing has been set for Feb. 1.
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Jail For Firing Shots In Air
OCEAN CITY — A Baltimore man, who, along with another suspect, was arrested in June after firing shots from a rifle into the air in downtown Ocean City, pleaded guilty last week to assault and weapons charges and was sentenced to five years, all but one year suspended.
Around 9:15 p.m. on June 15, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers responded to the area of Wicomico Street and Baltimore Avenue after receiving reports of a man with a rifle and shots fired. Witnesses provided a description of the suspects and their vehicle. Patrol officers quickly located the suspect vehicle northbound on Baltimore Avenue and stopped the suspects with assistance from the Ocean City Police Department Narcotics Unit who were conducting a crime suppression detail in the downtown area at the time with the support of the Worcester County Crimina Enforcement Team and a Maryland State Police special enforcement team.
The suspects were identified as Christopher M. Thomas, 20, and Tarik R. Purcell, 18, of Gwynn Oak, Md. The two were arrested without incident. During a search of the vehicle, officers located two Hi-Point 9mm carbine pistols.
After investigation, officers determined that Thomas and Purcell had gotten into a verbal altercation with another group before firing two rounds into the air in the 100-block of Wicomico Street. At that time, both parties fled the scene. Two spent shell casings were located in the area. No victims were reported during this incident.
Last week, Thomas pleaded guilty to second degree assault and illegal possession of a firearm and was sentenced to five years with all but one year suspended. Last month, Purcell pleaded guilty to use of a firearm in the commission of a felony and accessory after the fact and was sentenced to three years, all but six months of which was then suspended. He was also placed on probation for three years. Thomas is scheduled to appear in court in December.
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Pot Distribution Plea
SNOW HILL — A Bishopville woman, arrested in August along with her husband after Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) narcotics officers got wind of an alleged drug operation out of their residence, pleaded guilty to distribution charges last week and was sentenced to five years in jail with all but six months suspended.
In August, a citizen tip about possible heroin distribution in Bishopville recently led Ocean City Police Department narcotics officers to a significant marijuana operation. The Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) Narcotics Unit and the Worcester County Criminal Enforcement Team recently executed a search warrant in Bishopville that led detectives to discover a significant marijuana distribution operation. Earlier this year, detectives began an investigation into a possible heroin distribution operation in the resort involving a suspect identified as Socrates G. Pikounis, 52, of Bishopville, after receiving a tip from a citizen.
The investigation led detectives to discover the suspect’s wife, identified as Brenda L. Pikounis, 54, of Bishopville, was also allegedly distributing large amounts of marijuana out of the couple’s home. Detectives executed multiple search warrants at various locations and located over 200 baggies of heroin, over $56,000 in currency, over 90 jars of marijuana, and thousands of manufactured marijuana products including edibles, cannabis oil and wax, for example.
Also discovered during the execution of the search warrants were a handgun, gold coins and silver bars worth thousands of dollars and several other items used in the sale of illegal substances. Four vehicles were also seized.
In August, a Worcester County grand jury indicted Socrates and Brenda Pikounis on numerous drug-related charges and issued warrants for their arrest. Socrates Pikounis has been charged with 14 drug-related counts and two counts of child endangerment. Brenda Pikounis was charged with 10 drug-related counts and two counts of child endangerment.
Last week, Brenda Pikounis pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute marijuana and was sentenced to five years in jail with all but six months suspended. Socrates Pikounis is scheduled to appear for trial in March.