First-Degree Assault
OCEAN CITY — An Ocean City man was charged with first-degree assault last weekend after allegedly choking his girlfriend during a domestic incident.
Around 9:30 a.m. last Saturday, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers responded to a reported domestic incident at a residence on 43rd Street. While the officers were responding, Ocean City Communications advised they could hear a female actively yelling for someone to get out of the residence along with phrases such as “put me down” and “get your hands off me,” according to police reports.
Three OCPD officers arrived on the scene and located the alleged female victim and Peter Kasmarek, 51, of Ocean City. The victim told police she was lying in bed with Kasmarek when he received a text message.
The victim told police she immediately grabbed the phone and asked Kasmarek if the text was from his “girlfriend,” according to police reports. The victim told police that started a verbal argument that escalated into a physical altercation with Kasmarek violently throwing her off the bed and into the living room area of the residence.
The victim told police Kasmarek then began choking her to the point she believed she was going to lose consciousness. According to police reports, the victim told the officer “I was about to black out, so I grabbed his [expletive deleted].”
The victim said Kasmarek then released his choke-hold on her and was able to free herself and call the police. The officers observed red bruising and scratches on the victim’s neck consistent with her story. The victim also had fresh bruising on her arms. Based on the evidence, Kasmarek was deemed to be the primary aggressor in the incident and was arrested and charged with first- and second-degree assault. When it was learned Kasmarek allegedly destroyed the victim’s cell phone during the altercation, malicious destruction of property charges were added.
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Assault, Disorderly Arrest
OCEAN CITY — A Philadelphia woman was arrested on disorderly conduct and assault charges last weekend after causing a ruckus at a resort hotel and kicking a police officer during the arrest process.
Around 2:30 a.m. last Saturday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer responded to a north-end hotel to assist emergency services with a welfare check for an allegedly intoxicated female who had a cut on her face. The OCPD officers responded to the hotel unit and found Stephanie Guzman, 22, of Philadelphia, sitting in a chair and being attended to by EMTs for a cut on her face that was bleeding.
According to police reports, Guzman was hostile toward the EMTs treating her and was shouting and cursing and flailing her arms around. The OCPD officer noted in the report Guzman was intoxicated and there were liquor and beer bottles throughout the hotel room. According to police reports, Guzman told the officer she was in Ocean City celebrating a friend’s birthday and that she had consumed a lot of alcohol. She also told police she got the cut on her face when her friends dropped her while attempting to carry her to the hotel room.
Guzman refused medical evaluation and refused to be transported to the hospital for further medical treatment. Despite other members of her group attempting to calm her down, Guzman continued to yell and shout, drawing the attention of other hotel guests. According to police reports, one hotel guest was overheard saying, “get her out of here.”
At that point, Guzman got up and sprinted toward an open balcony door on the opposite side of the hotel room. She was arrested at that point and charged with disorderly conduct. Guzman was handcuffed and forced to sit in a chair. At that time, Guzman continued shouting and allegedly spit on the OCPD officer. The spit, which landed on the officer’s arm, contained blood from her mouth injury, according to police reports.
When OCPD officers attempted to load Guzman into a transport vehicle in the hotel parking lot, she continued to resist, turned her body toward the officer and kicked him in the testicles, according to police reports.
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Jail For Gunpoint Robbery
OCEAN CITY — A Pasadena man, who was arrested on armed robbery and other charges in June after allegedly robbing two men at gunpoint, pleaded guilty last week to conspiracy to commit robbery and was sentenced to five years in jail, all but 18 months of which were suspended.
On June 8, 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.
Last week, Beadle pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery and was sentenced to five years, all but 18 months of which were suspended. He was also placed on probation for three years upon his release.
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10-Day Sentence For Assault
OCEAN CITY — A Pennsylvania man, arrested in June after barging through the door of a downtown apartment and shoving one of the occupants, pleaded guilty last week to second-degree assault and was sentenced to three years, all but 10 days of which were then suspended.
Around 10:45 p.m. on June 3, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers were on patrol in the area of Wilmington Lane when they observed a group of 10-15 people gathered outside the front door of an apartment. The officers observed Austin Kupko, 18, of Mechanicsburg, Pa., loudly shouting at the residents of the apartment to let him in. The officers also heard the occupants of the apartment shout back for Kupko and his group to leave.
OCPD officers continued to observe as Kupko shouted expletives at the apartment’s occupants and shouted for them to come out and fight him. For a brief time, a female occupant of the apartment opened the door and shut it quickly. OCPD officers observed Kupko step up to the door and forcibly use his body to shove his way through the front door. Kupko then shoved an occupant inside the unit out of the way.
Occupants inside the unit and part of the larger group outside attempted to push and pull Kupko out of the unit and back into the street. The OCPD officers shouted at Kupko to stop and advised him he was under arrest, but he fled on foot. Kupkpo ran down Wilmington Lane and ran west across Philadelphia Avenue.
OCPD officers continued to yell to him to stop, but he kept running. He crossed through a parking lot and ran down Dayton Lane and into a construction site lot where he was cornered by three officers. Kupko was ultimately charged with burglary and assault. Last week, Kupkp pleaded guilty to second-degree assault and was sentenced to three years, all but 10 days of which were suspended. He was also placed on probation for three years.
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Undercover Sale Conviction
OCEAN CITY — A Glen Burnie man pleaded guilty last week to possession with intent to distribute and now awaits his fate pending a pre-sentence investigation.
Around 7:50 p.m. on June 8, 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 signaled to other officers in the area to take Banks into custody.
During a search of the backpack, OCPD officer located a 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. Last week, Banks pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute marijuana and a pre-sentence investigation was ordered.