Cops And Courts – May 17, 2019

Cops And Courts – May 17, 2019

10 Years For Heroin Dealer

SNOW HILL — A Dagsboro man, arrested last October on heroin distribution charges after Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers observed him riding as a passenger in a vehicle, was found guilty last week and sentenced to 15 years, all but 10 of which were then suspended.

cops pic A Tankard

James Tankard

Last October, OCPD officers observed James Tankard, 29, riding as a passenger in the area of 142nd Street and knew he was wanted on an active warrant. The vehicle was stopped and Tankard was taken into custody. During a search of Tankard’s person, OCPD officers found 261 wax baggies containing heroin with a total weight of more than 58 grams.

OCPD officers also recovered $775 in currency. The estimated street value of the heroin found on Tankard’s person was $2,600. Last Thursday, a Worcester County jury found Tankard guilty of possession with intent to distribute heroin. He was sentenced to 15 years with the Department of Corrections with all but 10 years suspended. He was also placed on supervised probation for three years upon his release.

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Berlin Man Sentenced For Cocaine Distribution

BERLIN — A Berlin man whose residence was raided last year was found guilty this week of distributing cocaine and was sentenced to 12 years in jail with all but five years suspended.

A Worcester County jury this week found Monqual Sturgis, 41, guilty of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Sturgis was sentenced to 12 years with the Department of Corrections, all but five of which were then suspended.

In May 2018, the Worcester County Criminal Enforcement Team executed a search warrant on Sturgis’ residence in Berlin. During the search, detectives located three Baggies containing powder and crack cocaine in his bedroom along with over $1,000 in currency. The powder cocaine weighed over 12 grams, while the crack cocaine weighed over eight grams. The estimated street value of the seized cocaine came in at roughly $2,000.

Worcester County State’s Attorney Kris Heiser applauded the efforts of the Worcester County Criminal Enforcement Team, a combined investigative unit comprised of the Maryland State Police, Worcester County Sheriff’s Office, Pocomoke City Police Department and Ocean City Police Department. She also thanked Dfc. Rhode for his work on the case, and praised Assistant State’s Attorney Joaquin Cabrera, who tried the case.

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Jail Time, Restitution For Contract Fraud

SNOW HILL — A Berlin man, convicted in February on multiple counts of deceiving elderly vulnerable adults and failing to perform contracts, was sentenced this week to 18 months in jail, all but four months of which were suspended, and was ordered to pay $4,000 in restitution to four victims.

cops pic B Allen

Pasco Allen

On Feb. 27, Pasco Allen, 47, was found guilty of obtaining property by deception of a vulnerable adult and failure to perform a contract and a pre-sentence investigation was ordered.

The charges against Allen stem from several similar complaints received by the Ocean Pines Police Department from residents in the community from October 2017 through June 2018. In each case, the victim had hired Allen to do various types of landscaping and home improvement work.

According to the Worcester County State’s Attorney’s Office, Allen accepted payments from the victims, several of whom were over the age of 68, making them vulnerable adults. However, in each case, Allen failed to complete the agreed-upon work despite repeated demands from his victims. Further investigation revealed Allen was not licensed by the Maryland Home Improvement Commission to perform the work as required by law.

Worcester County State’s Attorney Kris Heiser commended the Ocean Pines Police Department for its work on the investigation and thanked former Assistant State’s Attorneys Lauren Bowden and Jarod Monteiro for their efforts in prosecuting the case. Heiser also urged Worcester County residents to use free online resources to conduct checks on any individuals they plan to hire for home improvement work.

“Empowering our citizens to use these resources to educate themselves on an individual’s criminal history and licensing status is an important mission of the State’s Attorney’s Office. “We are working every day to raise awareness about these types of financial crimes and predators and what individual citizens can do to protect themselves from future victimization.”

Residents can use the Maryland Judiciary Case Search site at www.mdcourts.gov to search for criminal records. Residents can also access the Maryland Home Improvement Commission website at www.dllr.state.md.us/license/mhic to determine if an individual possesses the requisite license to perform home improvement work.

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Two Arrested In Uptown Fracas

OCEAN CITY — Two people were arrested on various charges early last Sunday morning after Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers had to respond twice to a reported domestic incident at an uptown residence.

Shortly before midnight last Saturday, OCPD officers responded to a condo at 139th Street for a reported domestic incident. The officers met with a female, identified as Ashley Roberts, 31, of Thurmont, Md., who said she had been in an argument with her fiancé, but that he had left before the argument turned physical. Officers met with another occupant of the residence, identified as Luciano Prolongo, 47, of Ocean City, who reportedly told police he had no idea why they had been called.

Roberts’ fiancé returned to the residence while police were still on scene and told officers he had argued with Roberts, but left before it had become physical. When Prolongo left the area in a taxi, OCPD officers cleared the scene.

Around 20 minutes later, OCPD officers returned to the same residence for a reported assault that had just occurred. According to police reports, Prolongo told the officers he had been in a physical fight with Roberts and that she had punched him in the face numerous times. Prolongo reportedly had blood on his lower lip, but was unable to provide any more details about the fight.

OCPD officers next spoke with Roberts, who was unwilling to talk about the fight. Instead, she attempted to go back inside the residence, but was told she was being detained. According to police reports, Roberts said repeatedly the officers had no right to detain her. Roberts reportedly continued to yell at the officers despite being warned not to do so, and by now, people began to gather on the street and on the balconies of other residences in the area.

OCPD officers then spoke to Roberts’ fiancé, who told police Roberts had punched him in the face. Bruising on his cheek and lip confirmed he had allegedly been struck by Roberts. Based on the evidence, Roberts was arrested for assault, disorderly conduct, failing to obey a lawful order and a noise violation.

Meanwhile, throughout the incident, Prolongo, who had left in a taxi and had returned to the residence, continued to scream at the officers while people gathered on the street and on adjacent balconies to witness the unfolding scene. Prolongo was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct.