Crime Archives - Page 235 of 238

Additional Information Regarding Seventeen-Year-Old Charged in Connection With Death of Germantown Teen, Jai’Lyn Jones

Published May 16, 2022 at 4:46PM

A 17-year-old has been arrested and charged in connection with the death of Jai’Lyn Jones. On Monday, January 24, 2022, the Montgomery County Emergency Communications Center received a call for a male body found in a wooded area. Officers from the 5th District responded and located 17-year-old Jailyn Jones in the 18900 block of Grotto Lane in Germantown. An autopsy performed by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined Jones’ death a homicide.

The Montgomery County Department of Police Major Crimes Division – Homicide Unit has been actively investigating Jones’ death and during the course of the investigation, physical evidence was recovered connecting Ta’Quawn Deon Henderson of Germantown, to the homicide. Detectives also learned that Henderson and Jones were acquaintances. Both attended Northwest High School.

MS-13 Gang Member Sentenced to Life in Prison for Racketeering Conspiracy Involving Multiple Violent Murders

By MCS Staff

Published May 14, 2022 at 10:51AM

Per the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Maryland: U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar sentenced Milton Portillo Rodriguez, a/k/a “Little Gangster”, a/k/a “Seco”, age 26, to life in federal prison for a racketeering conspiracy, racketeering, attempted murder, assault with a dangerous weapon, conspiracy to commit murder in aid or racketeering, as well as related violent crimes in aid of racketeering, including three murders, connected to his participation in La Mara Salvatrucha, a transnational criminal enterprise also known as MS-13.

On January 24, 2022, a federal jury convicted Portillo Rodriguez of the racketeering charges, along with co-defendants Jose Joya Parada, a/k/a “Calmado,” age 21; Oscar Armando Sorto Romero, a/k/a “Lobo,” age 23; and Juan Carlos Sandoval-Rodriguez, a/k/a “Picaro,” age 24, after a three-month trial. Portillo-Rodriguez and Sandoval-Rodriguez were also convicted of multiple counts of murder in aid of racketeering.

Gaithersburg Police: Detectives Investigate Stabbing

By MCS Staff

Published May 14, 2022 at 8:04AM

On May 12, 2022, at 2:54 p.m., officers from the Gaithersburg Police Department & the Montgomery County Police – 6^th District responded to the corner of S. Frederick Avenue & Education Boulevard for the report of a stabbing that had just occurred. Upon arriving, officers located a juvenile female victim on-scene. Officers provided medical attention to the victim until Montgomery County Fire Rescue arrived & transported the juvenile victim to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Investigation revealed that the two juveniles had a verbal argument off school property that escalated into a physical altercation. During the altercation, the suspect brandished a cutting instrument, causing non-life-threatening lacerations to the victim’s extremities.The juvenile female suspect, a student at Gaithersburg High School, was located & taken into custody without incident. She is being charged as a juvenile.

Update: Wednesday Stabbing Near Gaithersburg High School Involved Two Students

By MCS Staff

Published May 13, 2022 at 3:52PM | Updated May 14, 2022 at 8:03AM

Officers from the Gaithersburg Police Department and the Montgomery County Police Department responded to the scene of a stabbing that occurred in the area of S Frederick Avenue and Education Boulevard on Thursday, according to Gaithersburg Police. According to a Bethesda Beat report, the incident involved two female students.

The injured girl was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, and the suspect was arrested and charged as a juvenile. The incident occurred at a public transportation bus stop near Gaithersburg High School at approximately 2:40pm, according to a letter sent to the GHS community by principal Cary Dimmick following the incident yesterday. According to the letter, school administration and security immediately responded to the incident. The full letter to the community can be seen below.

Foreign National Who Fled and Was Later Extradited from the United Kingdom Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Bank and Wire Fraud in Relation to Theft of Over 2,600 Checks from Religious Institutions

By MCS Staff

Published May 11, 2022 at 6:55AM

Florin Vaduva, age 31, of Dania Beach, Florida pleaded guilty on Monday to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud. As part of his plea agreement, Vaduva will be ordered to pay at least $1,085,151.42 in restitution. Though specific details have not been released regarding the institutions that were defrauded, Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department was among those who announced the guilty plea indicating that at least part of the illegal activity occurred in Montgomery County.

Per the press Maryland District U.S. Attorney’s press release: The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Acting Postal Inspector in Charge Greg L. Torbenson of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service – Washington Division; Acting Special Agent in Charge Selwyn Smith of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Acting Special Agent in Charge Quenton Sallows, of the Mid-Atlantic Region, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG); Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department; Chief Toni Dezomits of the Cary, North Carolina, Police Department; and Sheriff Dusty Rhoades of the Williamson County, Tennessee, Sheriff’s Office.

MS-13 Gang Member Sentenced to Life in Prison for Racketeering Conspiracy Involving Multiple Murders

By MCS Staff

Published May 8, 2022 at 7:57AM

Per the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Maryland: Chief U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar today sentenced Oscar Armando Sorto Romero, a/k/a “Lobo,” age 23, to life in federal prison for a racketeering conspiracy and for racketeering, as well as related violent crimes in aid of racketeering, including two murders, connected to his participation in La Mara Salvatrucha, a transnational criminal enterprise also known as MS-13. On January 24, 2022, a federal jury convicted Sorto Romero of the racketeering charges, along with co-defendants Jose Joya Parada, a/k/a “Calmado,” age 21, Milton Portillo-Rodriguez, a/k/a “Little Gangster,” age 26; and Juan Carlos Sandoval-Rodriguez, a/k/a “Picaro,” age 24, after a three-month trial. Portillo-Rodriguez and Sandoval-Rodriguez were also convicted of multiple counts of murder in aid of racketeering.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Acting Special Agent in Charge Selwyn Smith of Homeland Security Investigations, Baltimore Office; Chief Jason Lando of the Frederick City Police Department; Frederick County Sheriff Charles A. “Chuck” Jenkins; Frederick County State’s Attorney J. Charles Smith, III; Chief Amal E. Awad of the Anne Arundel County Police Department; Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney Anne Colt Leitess; Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department; Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy; Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department; and Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy.

Montgomery County Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for a Money Laundering Conspiracy Involving High End Vehicles

By MCS Staff

Published May 7, 2022 at 11:00AM

U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm sentenced Francis Arthur, age 35, of Silver Spring, Maryland on May 2, 2022, to one year and a day in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for a money laundering conspiracy and for money laundering in connection with a scheme to defraud victim account holders at a credit union. As part of his sentence, Arthur has been ordered to pay $339,000 in restitution.

Per the Department of Justice, District of Maryland: The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Matthew R. Stohler of the U.S. Secret Service Washington Field Office; and Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Department of Police.

Montgomery County Dentist Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully Obtaining Medicaid Funds and Paying Recruiters to Refer Medicaid Beneficiaries to His Dental Office in Exchange for Kickbacks

By MCS Staff

Published May 7, 2022 at 8:50AM

Edward T. Buford III, age 70, of Silver Spring, Maryland, pleaded guilty on May 4, 2022, to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and healthcare fraud. As part of his guilty plea, Buford will be required to pay $1,267,630 in restitution.

Per the Maryland District of the U.S. Attorney’s Office:

Rondell Henry, Germantown Man Accused Of Plotting ISIS-Inspired Attack At National Harbor, Found Mentally Competent

By MCS Staff

Published May 6, 2022 at 4:53PM

A Germantown man has become mentally competent to stand trial more than two years after he was charged with planning an Islamic State-inspired attack at a shopping and entertainment complex near Washington, D.C., a federal judge ruled Tuesday.

Rondell Henry’s attorneys notified the court last Friday that he intends to pursue an insanity defense. Henry, 31, of Germantown, Maryland, was charged in 2019 with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, the Islamic State group.

Montgomery County Man Pleads Guilty to Distribution of Fentanyl that Led to an Overdose Death

By MCS Staff

Published May 6, 2022 at 3:36PM

According to a press release by the U.S. Attorney’s Office District of Maryland, Enitan Mouroukeji Agbi, a/k/a “Anton Agbi,” and “Tone,” age 38, of Germantown, Maryland, pleaded guilty yesterday to distribution of fentanyl. Agbi admitted that Victim 1 died as a result of using drugs that Agbi distributed.

Per the press release: The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration – Washington Division; Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department; Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department; Chief Darryl McSwain of the Maryland National Capital Park Police; Chief Robert J. Contee III of the Metropolitan Police Department; and Chief Victor Brito of the City of Rockville Police Department.

Former FEMA Employee From Germantown Pleads Guilty to Aiding in the Preparation of False Tax Returns

By MCS Staff

Published May 4, 2022 at 9:49AM

According to a press release from United States Attorney for the District of Maryland, Shanta Johnson, age 44, of Germantown, Maryland, pleaded guilty yesterday to aiding in the preparation of false tax returns. The full press release can be seen below:

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Darrell J. Waldon of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office; and Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari of the Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General.