Crime Archives - Page 228 of 265

Maryland State Trooper Arrested on Child Pornography Charges

Published July 7, 2023 at 8:30PM | Updated July 9, 2023 at 12:05PM

Per the Maryland State Police: Maryland State Police computer crimes investigators have charged a Cecil County man, employed as a state trooper, with the possession of child pornography. The suspect is identified as Christopher Black, Sr., 48, of Elkton, Md. He is charged with six counts of possession of child pornography. After consultation with the Cecil County State’s Attorney’s Office, an arrest warrant was issued for Black. He was arrested by Maryland State Police this morning without incident, processed at the North East Barrack and taken before a District Court commissioner for a bond hearing.

Black is employed as a Sergeant and assigned to the North East Barrack. He is a 21-and-a-half-year veteran of the Department. Black’s police powers have been suspended with pay pending the outcome of the investigation.

Man Sentenced to 55 Years in Prison for Brutal Murder of Wife in North Kensington

By Patrick Herron

Published July 7, 2023 at 3:02PM

According to the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office, “Today in the Circuit Court for Montgomery County, MD, the Honorable Margaret Schweitzer sentenced defendant, Reginald Dunlap, 45, of Silver Spring, to life in prison suspend all but 55 years to serve and five years of supervised probation upon release. On March 10^th, 2023, a jury found Dunlap guilty of First-Degree Murder for the brutal slaying of his wife, 40-year-old Lauren Charles. Charles was beloved in the community and dozens of friends and family members attended today’s sentencing hearing.”

Charles’ body was found inside the couple’s home on March 7^th, 2021. She had asphyxiated due to a pillowcase forced down her throat and was beaten to death. A decorative Buddha statue is believed to have been the murder weapon. After murdering his wife, defendant, Dunlap poured bleach on her body and ransacked their bedroom in order to stage a crime scene.

January 6th Participant Arrested Near Former President Obama’s Home Live-Streamed From Within Montgomery County School

By MCS Staff

Published July 6, 2023 at 6:24PM | Updated July 6, 2023 at 7:08PM

Per Takoma Park Police: As reported by the news media, Taylor Taranto was arrested on June 29, 2023, near former President Barack Obama’s home in Washington D.C. by federal authorities on numerous charges stemming from the January 6^th riot at the U. S. Capitol. Prosecutors are requesting that he be held without bail. The Washington Post reported that Taranto had live-streamed from within the Piney Branch Elementary School on June 18^th and the excerpt from the article is below:

Separately, prosecutors said that on June 18, Taranto live-streamed himself and several others entering a gymnasium and displaying a Jan. 6-related film at Piney Branch Elementary School in Takoma Park, just north of Washington. Prosecutors said Taranto said he chose the school because it was close to the home of Raskin, a four-term Democrat who has been a leading congressional critic of Donald Trump. – Washington Post Report by Emily Davies.

Update: Detectives Investigate Lockwood Drive Homicide; Identity of Victim Released

By Patrick Herron

Published July 6, 2023 at 6:05PM | Updated July 6, 2023 at 8:12PM

Per MCPD: Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police – Major Crimes Division are investigating a homicide that occurred on Wednesday, July 6, 2023, in the 11500 block of Lockwood Drive in Silver Spring.

At approximately 9:51p.m., 3rd District officers and Montgomery County Fire Rescue personnel were dispatched to the location for the report of a shooting. Officers arrived at the scene and located an adult male inside an apartment, suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. Officers provided life saving measures to the victim until Montgomery County Fire Rescue arrived.

Police Asking Homeowners to Review Home Surveillance Video for Vandalism Suspects Accused of Lighting Pride and Ukrainian Flags on Fire

By Patrick Herron

Published July 6, 2023 at 3:26PM

Third District investigators have released Ring camera video of a suspect setting fire to a flag hanging on the outside of a home but believe that there may be more than one person involved. During the overnight hours of Tuesday, June 27, 2023, to Wednesday, June 28, 2023, at least eleven Pride and Ukrainian flags, as well as sign boards had been burned in the Mansfield Road, Wayne Place, Ellsworth Place, Greenbrier Drive, Pershing Drive and Deerfield Avenue neighborhoods.

Three Suspects in Stolen Vehicle Arrested Following Traffic Stop and Pursuit

By Patrick Herron

Published July 6, 2023 at 11:05AM

Per MCPD: Montgomery County Department of Police – 5th District Patrol officers have arrested and charged 21-year-old Lawrence Xavier Harrison, of Gaithersburg, and two juvenile males with auto theft related charges, following a traffic stop that occurred on Thursday, June 29, 2023.

At approximately 1:11 a.m., officers were patrolling the area of Frederick Rd. and Rosecrest Dr. (Clarksburg) when they observed a white Hyundai traveling northbound on Frederick Rd. with its headlights off and at a high rate of speed. Officers followed the Hyundai, and determined that the Hyundai had been reported stolen. Officers observed the Hyundai make a U-Turn and fail to stop at a red traffic light. The Hyundai then got on northbound I-270 Highway. Officers activated their lights and sirens and attempted to pull over the Hyundai on I-270, but the driver of the Hyundai failed to stop and continued traveling a high rate of speed, committing several traffic infractions.

One Dead After Wednesday Night Shooting

By Patrick Herron

Published July 6, 2023 at 7:05AM

Montgomery County Police are investigating a homicide that occurred on Wednesday, July 5, 2023. According to MCPD, “At approximately 9:51p.m., 3rd District officers and Montgomery County Fire Rescue personnel responded to an apartment in the 11500 block of Lockwood Drive in Silver Spring (White Oak) for the report of a shooting that just occurred.

Officers arrived at the scene and located inside the apartment an adult male victim, suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. Officers provided life saving measures to the victim until Montgomery County Fire Rescue arrived. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene.

MCPS Transportation Employees Enter Guilty Pleas for Misconduct in Office and Theft Scheme

By MCS Staff

Published June 30, 2023 at 2:18PM

From the Office of the Montgomery County State’s Attorney: Today in the Circuit Court for Montgomery County, MD, before the Honorable Michael McAuliffe, defendant, Todd Michael Watkins, 56, of Jefferson, MD, pleaded guilty to one count of the misdemeanor charge of misconduct in office. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 11^th, 2023 at 9:30 a.m.

The defendant, Watkins, was appointed Director of the Montgomery County Public Schools Department of Transportation in 2009. Beginning in at least 2016 and continuing into September 2021, the defendant failed to properly manage the contract for the purchases of school buses and the use of purchasing cards in his department such that Charles Ewald, the Assistant Director of the Department of Transportation, was able to steal over $320,000.

Woman Who Murdered 92-Year-Old Roommate Sentenced to 23 Years

By Patrick Herron

Published June 29, 2023 at 5:56PM | Updated June 29, 2023 at 6:13PM

Courtesy Google Maps

According to the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office, “Today in the Circuit Court for Montgomery County, MD, the Honorable John Maloney sentenced defendant, Julia Birch, 28, of Kensington, to 40 years in prison suspend all but 23 years to serve and five years of supervised probation upon release. She must also complete 240 hours of community service upon probation. Judge Maloney recommended the defendant be admitted to the Patuxent Eligible Persons Program while incarcerated.

This stems from an incident on July 28, 2021. Montgomery County Police and Montgomery County Fire and Rescue personnel responded to a residence on Spruell Drive in Kensington, Maryland for a death investigation. Upon their arrival, the complainant, 26-year-old Julia Birch, told officers that she had suffocated and killed her 92-year-old roommate, identified as Nancy Ann Frankel, who was found deceased in her bedroom. Birch had staged the body to look more presentable, laying the victim on a pillow, folding her arms over her chest, and putting perfume on her. This was after initially unsuccessfully trying to get the body back into her bed. Birch was taken into custody and transported to Montgomery County Police Headquarters to be interviewed. She admitted to killing Nancy Ann Frankel by trying to place a plastic bag over Frankel’s head to suffocate her, and when the victim poked a hole in the bag, Birch took her to the ground and strangled her to death. Physical evidence and autopsy confirmed the method of death. Birch admitted to then calling 911 to report the death.

Suspect Arrested After Attempting to Abduct Two-Year-Old Child

By Patrick Herron

Published June 28, 2023 at 1:32PM

According to Montgomery County Police, “On Friday, June 23, 2023, at approximately 1:05 p.m., 3rd District officers responded to City Place Mall (Ellsworth Place) at 8661 Colesville Rd. in Silver Spring for the report of a kidnapping that occurred in the playground of the mall.

The investigation has revealed that 32-year-old Jeffery Akame picked up a two-year-old child victim (male) from the playground. The mother of the victim intervened and took away her child from Akame. Akame then ran away and left the scene.

Former Laurel Police Chief Sentenced to Life in Prison for Attempted Murder in Connection to Twelve Acts of Arson in Maryland, Including Clarksburg

By Patrick Herron

Published June 27, 2023 at 2:46PM | Updated June 27, 2023 at 6:13PM

Additional details on Crawford’s conviction below per the Howard County State’s Attorney’s Office: David Crawford, age 71, was found guilty of eight counts of attempted 1st-degree murder, three counts of 1st-degree arson and one count of 1st-degree malicious burning by a Howard County jury today in a serial arson investigation spanning multiple counties in Maryland. Crawford was arrested in March of 2021 in connection to 12 arsons that occurred in Howard, Frederick, Charles, Montgomery, Anne Arundel, and Prince George’s County from 2011 to 2020. Investigators had surveillance video in many cases where Crawford displayed a similar pattern of starting the fires with gasoline. Investigators linked multiple cases following a 2020 fire when they discovered Crawford had previous disagreements with multiple victims. In January 2021, a search of Crawford’s residence found several pieces of evidence, including a list of targets that were known victims.

Crawford is a former Police Chief for the City of Laurel, where he last served from 2006 until his resignation in 2010. Prior to that, Crawford was Chief of the District Heights Police Department and served as a Major for the Prince George’s County Police Department. Investigators say none of the civilian victims of the fires were connected to Crawford through his law enforcement career.