Crime Archives - Page 184 of 238

Police Searching for Suspect in Connection With Shooting Death of Maryland Circuit Court Judge in Hagerstown

Published October 20, 2023 at 10:24AM

Per the Washington County Sheriff’s Department: “The Washington County Sheriff’s Office is currently conducting a homicide investigation. On October 19, 2023, at approximately 8:00 PM, Deputies responded to the 19100 block of Olde Waterford Road, Hagerstown, MD, for a reported shooting. The victim, an adult male, was located in the driveway of a residence. The victim was suffering from what appeared to be gunshot wounds. He was transported to Meritus Medical Center, where he later succumbed to his injuries. The victim was identified as Washington County, Maryland Circuit Court Judge Andrew Wilkinson, 52, of Hagerstown.

Update: The Washington County Sheriff’s Office is searching for the below-listed individual in connection to the Olde Waterford Road homicide investigation. Anyone with information on the location of Pedro Argote, 49, is asked to notify law enforcement immediately. Argote is 5’7”, 130 lbs. with black hair and brown eyes. He may be operating a silver 2009 Mercedes GL450, displaying Maryland registration plates 4EH0408. Anyone with information in reference to Argote’s location is asked to not approach him but to immediately notify law enforcement. This continues to be an active investigation, certain details of the case will not be released to the public by law enforcement. The Washington County Sheriff’s Office will hold a press conference at 11:00 a.m. The press conference will be at 100 West Washington Street Hagerstown, MD, 21740, at the Washington County Government Administration Building.”

Police Investigating Residential Burglary and Attempted Burglary in Gaithersburg; Surveillance Footage Released

By Patrick Herron

Published October 20, 2023 at 10:19AM | Updated October 20, 2023 at 10:42AM

Per MCPD: “Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police – 6th District Investigative Section are investigating a residential burglary and an attempted residential burglary that occurred on Sunday, September 3, 2023. Detectives have released surveillance video of the male suspect and are asking for the public’s assistance in identifying him.

At approximately 6:09 a.m., 6thDistrict officers responded to the 8100 block of Irwell Court in Gaithersburg for the report of a residential burglary that just occurred. The investigation has revealed that, at approximately 5:54 a.m., the suspect forced entry into the rear sliding door of the home, stole property and left the scene. The victim was in the residence during the time of the burglary. At approximately 2:13 p.m., 6th District officers responded to a home in the 17400 block of Tauton Drive in Gaithersburg for the report of an attempted residential burglary. Investigators determined that at approximately 5:47 a.m., the suspect approached the front door of the home, then jumped over the fence, attempted to force entry into the rear sliding door and left the scene.

Attempted Carjacking By Group of 5-7 Juveniles Wednesday Night

By MCS Staff

Published October 19, 2023 at 4:27PM

An attempted carjacking took place on Wednesday, October 18, at 11:18 pm, on the 7100 block of Holly Avenue in Takoma Park, police say.

According to Takoma Park Police: “5-7 juvenile males approached the victim, who had just gotten out their vehicle. One male, described as a young-looking black male, wearing a red scarf over his face, pointed a handgun at the victim and demanded the victim’s car keys and cell phone. The victim complied and then ran inside to safety and called the police.

19-Year-Old Driver Who Intentionally Struck Police Officer on Highway to be Held Without Bond; Had Over 200 Previous Traffic Violations

By Patrick Herron

Published October 19, 2023 at 3:45PM

At a bond hearing this afternoon at District Court in Rockville, Raphael Mayorga, 19, of Frederick, MD, was ordered to be held without bond for allegedly striking Montgomery County Police Officer Patrick Kepp with his vehicle on I-270 in Gaithersburg early Wednesday morning. Officer Kepp remains in critical condition and is said to have lost the use of both of his legs. Mayorga is being charged with attempted first-degree murder.

The incident occurred around 3:48 a.m. on October, 18 after Kepp got out of his vehicle to deploy “stop sticks” near the Watkins Mill Rd exit on northbound I-270 after a citizen was almost run off the road by Mayorga. Mayorga is believed to have been traveling over 100mph when he intentionally struck Kepp with his vehicle. A second officer successfully deployed stop sticks near Clarksburg Rd, eventually bringing the Mayorga’s vehicle to a stop. A second person who was in the vehicle with Mayorga has not been charged and is being treated as a witness.

Montgomery County Police Officer Indicted for Involvement in January 6 Insurrection; Recently Involved in Shooting Death of Suspect Armed With Butcher Knife

By Patrick Herron

Published October 19, 2023 at 3:15PM

According to the United State’s District Attorney’s Office, Montgomery County Police Officer Justin Lee, 25, of Rockville, has been charged in a seven-count indictment that was unsealed today in the District of Columbia with offenses including assaulting a law enforcement officer and obstructing, impeding, or interfering with a law enforcement officer during a civil disorder. Lee is accused of “entering and remaining in the U.S. Capitol grounds while the Vice President was and would be temporarily visiting without lawful authority to do so and engaging in disruptive conduct, physical violence, and disorderly conduct while on restricted grounds of the Capitol.” Montgomery County Police released the following statement announcing his supension:

“The Montgomery County Department of Police (MCPD) announces the suspension of Officer Justin Lee without pay as a result of his involvement and subsequent indictment in connection with the events of the January 6 insurrection. In July of 2023, MCPD was informed that Officer Justin Lee was the subject of an FBI investigation. Prior to his suspension, Lee had been on administrative leave for his involvement in the shooting death of an armed suspect on July 22. The Maryland Attorney General’s Independent Investigations Division is currently overseeing the investigation into this incident to ensure a thorough and impartial examination of the facts.

Update: Officer in Critical Condition After Being Intentionally Struck by Driver on I-270

By Patrick Herron

Published October 18, 2023 at 2:16PM | Updated October 18, 2023 at 2:44PM

Montgomery County Police held a press conference on Wednesday afternoon to give an update on an incident that occurred early this morning on I-270 north that involved an officer being struck by a driver. The injured officer has been identified as Patrick Kepp, 36, who currently serves on the Alcohol Initiatives Unit. According to Police Chief Marcus Jones, Kepp has lost the use of both of his legs and remains in critical conditions.

The suspect has been identified as Frederick Raphael Mayorga, 19, of Frederick, MD. Mayorga is said to be well known to Montgomery County Police due to several prior incidents, and has a reputation for attempting to provoke officers into high speed chases. Prior to the incident, officers were monitoring Mayorga, who was seen driving a green Dodge Challenger recklessly at the Clarksburg Outlets and on I-270. Jones said officers did not pursue Mayorga.

Maryland Attorney General Announces Guilty Plea And Sentencing of Curtis Bay Energy LP – Owner of Largest Medical Waste Incinerator in United States

By Patrick Herron

Published October 18, 2023 at 12:54PM | Updated October 18, 2023 at 1:22PM

Per the Maryland Attorney General’s Office (10.18.23): – Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown today announced the guilty plea and sentencing of Curtis Bay Energy, LP (Curtis Bay Energy), the owner and operator of a special medical waste incinerator facility located in south Baltimore City, to a forty-count criminal information that resulted from a long-term investigation conducted by the Office’s Environmental and Natural Resources Crimes Unit (ENRCU). The charges to which Curtis Bay Energy pled guilty relate to the insufficient treatment and improper handling of special medical waste and the operation and concealment of an unpermitted discharge outlet.

On August 18, 2023, in sentencing Curtis Bay Energy, the Honorable Judge Martin H. Schreiber II of the Circuit Court of Maryland, placed the company on 2-years of probation and ordered the company to pay a fine of $1,000,000 to the Maryland Clean Water Fund. As a special condition of that probation, Curtis Bay Energy will fund a Supplemental Environmental Project (SEP) that will direct $750,000 into communities surrounding the facility for environmental projects to protect and improve the environment and reduce risks to public health. The SEP will be administered by the Chesapeake Bay Trust, a nonprofit grant-making organization. This sentence is one of the largest penalties in the Office’s history for an environmental criminal case.

Police Investigating Kidnapping Incident Involving 13-Year-Old Girl in Germantown

By Patrick Herron

Published October 18, 2023 at 1:58AM | Updated October 18, 2023 at 7:09AM

Per MCPD: The Montgomery County Department of Police – Special Victims Investigations Division (SVID) is actively investigating a reported kidnapping incident involving a 13-year-old girl.

Preliminarily, the girl reported that between 3 – 3:15 p.m. on Tuesday, October 17, 2023, she was approached by two male suspects in a dark grey sedan near the intersection of Waring Station Road and Stoney Bottom Road in Germantown. The suspects allegedly got out of the vehicle and forced the girl into the car.

Fairfax County Man Struck By Crossbow Arrow While Walking on The Sidewalk

By MCS Staff

Published October 17, 2023 at 6:13PM

Detectives continue to investigate after a man was struck with a crossbow arrow in Bailey’s Crossroads, Fairfax County police stated in a press release.

According to police, “Around 12:05 a.m., on October 15, officers were called to the 3400 block of Carlin Springs Road in Bailey’s Crossroads for an adult man who was struck by an arrow. The man was walking on the sidewalk when his backpack was struck by the arrow which continued into his back. He was transported to the hospital due to injuries that were deemed non-life-threatening, and after receiving treatment, he was released.

Four Charged with Killing and Burying 18-Year-Old Woman in Shallow Grave in Olney

By Patrick Herron

Published October 17, 2023 at 4:39PM

Rivera-Delgado was arrested for a parole violation in Nevada and extradited to Maryland on Tuesday, September 29, 2023. The 23-year-old suspect led Montgomery County Department of Police – Major Crimes detectives to the location where Sanchez Merino was buried. On October 1, 2023, an autopsy of Sanchez Merino was conducted by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, and the death was ruled a homicide.

Update: Police Looking to Identify Suspect Wanted for 4th Degree Sex Offense

By Patrick Herron

Published October 17, 2023 at 3:41PM

The Maryland-National Capital Park Police is seeking the public’s assistance with identifying the person pictured above. The photograph was obtained via security camera footage near the intersection of Manchester Road and Hamilton Avenue. This is in reference to a 4th Degree Sex Offense that occurred on the Sligo Creek Trail in the area of Three Oaks Drive on Sunday 10/15/2023 between 3:50PM and 4:00PM. The suspect was described as a 5’8 to 5’9 medium build teenage Hispanic or light skinned black male. The suspect was wearing a black ski mask covering most of his face, blue/teal windbreaker jacket, brown or tan cloth backpack with buckle fastener, and khaki pants.