Cops And Courts – June 15, 2018

Cops And Courts – June 15, 2018

Projectiles Fired Into Street

OCEAN CITY — An Aberdeen man was arrested for discharging an air gun within Ocean City corporate limits last week after witnesses observed him allegedly firing projectiles into the street from a hotel balcony.

Around 2:30 a.m. last Thursday, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers were dispatched to a hotel at 4th Street and Baltimore Avenue for a report of an individual with a handgun. OCPD officers arrived and met with two witnesses who told police they were walking south on the sidewalk when they observed a male suspect on a hotel balcony waving a black, semiautomatic handgun around and provided a description of the location of the hotel room.

An OCPD officer met with front desk staff and determined the room number. Another OCPD officer took a stationary position from across the street and began observing the room in question. The OCPD officer across the street told the initial officer on scene he observed an individual later identified as Myles Arrington, 18, of Aberdeen, on the balcony with what appeared to be a semiautomatic handgun.

The officer reported Arrington pointed the gun at the street and fired it several times, causing projectiles to hit the street. At that point, the OCPD officers realized the weapon was a replica handgun. An OCPD officer went to the hotel room and knocked on the door. Arrington answered and the officers drew their weapons and ordered Arrington and the two other occupants of the room to their knees while keeping their hands in the air. Arrington was arrested and charged with discharging a replica handgun within the corporate limits of Ocean City.

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Drugs, Weapons Charges

OCEAN CITY — A Glen Burnie man was arrested last week after first allegedly selling marijuana to an undercover Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer on the Boardwalk and then being found with a replica handgun in his backpack.

Around 7:50 p.m. last Friday, OCPD detectives were working an undercover detail on the Boardwalk attempting to purchase narcotics from various suspects. One OCPD undercover detective approached a suspect later identified as Desmond Banks, 18, of Glen Burnie, sitting on a Boardwalk bench and engaged him in a drug-related conversation.

According to police reports, the officer asked Banks if he knew where he could buy some “Xans,” or slang for Xanax. Banks told the detective he did not have any Xanax, but that he had some “gas,” or marijuana for sale, according to police reports.

The OCPD officer agreed to purchase $40 worth of marijuana from Banks. Banks opened his backpack and the officer observed a large, plastic bag containing several individually-wrapped plastic baggies containing marijuana. When the transaction was completed, the undercover cop signaled to other officers in the area to take Banks into custody.

During a search of the backpack, OCPD officers located the large plastic bag containing several individually-wrapped bags of marijuana packaged to indicate they were for sale. In addition, OCPD officers located in the backpack a replica Sig Sauer handgun capable of firing a projectile. Banks was charged with distribution of marijuana and possession of a replica handgun within corporate limits.

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Convenience Store Theft

OCEAN CITY — A Mount Airy man was arrested on assault and theft charges last week after allegedly stealing items from a north-end convenience store and attacking a store employee attempting to keep him from fleeing.

Around 11:45 p.m. last Wednesday, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers were dispatched to the 7-Eleven store at 94th Street for a reported theft and assault. The store manager told police multiple suspects had attempted to steal alcohol and began running away eastbound from the store.

OCPD officers went to the rear of the store and observed a suspect later identified as Nicholas Johnson, 19, of Mount Airy, carrying a case of bottled water away from the store without paying for it. The investigation revealed Johnson entered the store with two other individuals and began inserting large amounts of beer, liquor, snacks and other assorted items into the suitcase.

Store employees confronted Johnson and called the police while the manager attempted to stop him from leaving the store. According to police reports, Johnson sprinted toward the manager, slamming his shoulder into him. Johnson then exited the store and began throwing bottles of water at the store manager.

Johnson was located a short time later. The store manager was brought over and positively identified him. At that point, Johnson was arrested for theft and assault.

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Watch Stolen At Gun Point

OCEAN CITY — A Pasadena man was arrested on armed robbery and other charges last week after allegedly robbing two men at gunpoint as they sat on their front porch.

Last Thursday, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers received a complaint of an armed robbery that had occurred days earlier. The victims told police around 11 p.m. on June 5, they were sitting on the stairs of their rental unit on St. Louis Avenue when they were approached by two men. The victims told police they knew the two men from interactions earlier in the week.

The victims told police a third man, later identified as Jamall Beadle, 18, of Pasadena, Md., approached them, displayed a handgun and began threatening them. The victims told police Beadle removed the weapon from inside his pants and that it resembled an “AR without the stock,” according to police reports.

The victims told police Beadle pointed the weapon at them and demanded a Michael Kors watch from one of them valued at $500. Another victim told police Beadle had stolen a small amount of marijuana from him. The victims told police they did not immediately report the crime because they were afraid.

On June 8, a friend of the victims contacted the OCPD and informed police Beadle and the other suspects were back at their residence on St. Louis Avenue. OCPD officers responded and located Beadle inside the unit. An OCPD officer observed an assault-style gun in an open closet inside the unit. The assault-style weapon matched the description provided by the victims. The weapon turned out to be a paint ball gun that resembled a real assault weapon. Based on the evidence and testimony, Beadle was arrested and charged with robbery and theft.

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Jail Time For Knife Threat

OCEAN CITY — A Berlin man, arrested in January after allegedly threatening two other individuals with a knife in Ocean City, pleaded guilty this week to second-degree assault and was sentenced to 151 days.

Around 5:25 a.m. on Jan. 12, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer was dispatched to a residence at 120th Street for a reported active assault with a knife. The officer responded to the scene and met with a male victim who told police he, a woman and a male suspect later identified as William Berges, 19, of Berlin, had been drinking in a hot tub when Berges and the female got into an argument that carried over to the residence.

The witness told police Berges allegedly smacked the female victim across the face, knocking her to the ground. The witness told the investigating officer he helped the female victim up from the ground and sat down with her on the couch, holding her in his arms, according to police reports.

Berges allegedly then picked up a knife from the kitchen, stood over the witness and the female victim, and cut himself across the throat, throwing a small amount of blood across the wall behind them, according to police reports. The witness told police Berges then began chasing them across the living room with the knife in his hand, according to police reports.

The witness told police he and the female victim then ran out of the apartment, but Berges gave chase, waving the knife at them and slashing toward them, according to police reports. The witness told police Berges continued to chase them around the parking lot until they got an opening to run back into the apartment. Once inside the apartment, the witness and victim locked themselves inside and called the police.

The female victim complained of an injury to her right wrist from Berges knocking her down and was taken to Atlantic General Hospital for evaluation. Other OCPD officers arrived on scene and located Berges nearby and he was taken into custody without further incident. Berges was charged with two counts of first-degree assault and two counts of second-degree assault. On Tuesday, he pleaded guilty to second-degree assault.

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Bachelorette Tirade Probation

OCEAN CITY — A Glen Burnie woman, arrested on disturbing the peace and noise charges in April after allegedly going on an expletive-laced tirade on the street during a bachelorette party weekend, pleaded guilty last week and was placed on probation.

Around 10:50 p.m. on April 20, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer on patrol responded to the area of 60th Street for a report of three disorderly individuals. The three females were allegedly walking down 60th Street toward Coastal Highway and were allegedly yelling and shouting about three minutes before the officer’s arrival.

The officer encountered the three individuals, two of which were cooperative throughout the investigation. However, a third individual, later identified as Jasmine Thomas, 25, of Glen Burnie, continued to shout obscenities during the investigation including “we’re just trying to go back to our room to [expletive deleted].”

Throughout the investigation, the two cooperative individuals tried to calm Thomas down and were ultimately successful. According to police reports, the OCPD officer told all three individuals to keep it down and walk to the bus stop and that they were free to go. Moments later, the officer observed the three suspects arguing on the corner of 59th Street and Coastal Highway near a convenience store.

According to police reports, the officer could hear Thomas shouting expletives at least 100 feet away in violation of the town’s noise ordinance. The officer was preparing to write a citation for Thomas, who allegedly continued her expletive-laced tirade. She was also singing songs laced with expletives. Meanwhile, a crowd had gathered to listen to Thomas’ tirade, according to police reports. Finally, Thomas was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and a noise violation. Last week, Thomas pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct and was placed on probation for one year.