Crime Archives - Page 241 of 245

Montgomery County Man Sentenced to 17 Years in Federal Prison for Soliciting and Paying for the Production of Child Pornography

Published May 27, 2022 at 6:59AM

Per the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Maryland: U.S. District Judge George J. Hazel today sentenced Patrick Lawrence Wood, age 35, of Silver Spring, Maryland, to 17 years in federal prison, followed by lifetime supervised release for conspiracy to produce child pornography. Wood admitted that he paid co-conspirators in the Philippines to procure images and videos of children under the age of 12 engaged in sexually explicit conduct requested by Wood. Judge Hazel ordered that, upon his release from prison, Wood will be required to register as a sex offender in the places where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Acting Special Agent in Charge Selwyn Smith of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; and Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department.

Annapolis MS-13 Gang Member Sentenced to Life in Prison for Racketeering Conspiracy Involving Three Violent Murders, Including One in Montgomery County

By MCS Staff

Published May 26, 2022 at 7:15AM

From the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Maryland: Chief U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar sentenced Juan Carlos Sandoval-Rodriguez, a/k/a “Picaro,” “El Pastor,” and “Gasper,” age 24, of Annapolis, Maryland, 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 October 31, 2019, after a nine-day trial, a federal jury convicted Sandoval-Rodriguez of murder in aid of racketeering, and conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, in connection with a murder that occurred on March 11, 2016.

21 Year Old Man Convicted on One Count of Criminally Negligent Manslaughter by Motor Vehicle in Death of 57 Year Old Man

By MCS Staff

Published May 25, 2022 at 4:08PM | Updated May 25, 2022 at 5:10PM

Today in the Circuit Court for Montgomery County, MD, before the honorable Judge David Lease, a jury convicted defendant, Danys Martinez Lazo, 21, of Silver Spring, on one count of Criminally Negligent Manslaughter by Motor Vehicle for the death of Jaques Vainqueur, 57, of Silver Spring.

Martinez Lazo faces up to three years in prison and an additional five years of probation upon release. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Friday, September 9^th, 2022, at 8:30 a.m. This stems from a traffic collision on November 8^th, 2020, on Old Columbia Pike, near Ruxton Road, in Silver Spring. Below is a summary adapted from a court filing in the case and attached is a photo of the victim which is being released with the family’s permission (There was no booking photo taken of the defendant).

Man Pleads Guilty to Making Threats Against Dr. Anthony Fauci and Other Federal and State Health Officials

By MCS Staff

Published May 23, 2022 at 7:05PM

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron and Special Agent in Charge George Adams, Office of Investigations, Office of Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services.

According to Connally’s plea agreement, from December 28, 2020 to July 25, 2021, Connally used an anonymous email account from a provider of secure, encrypted email services based in Switzerland, to send a series of emails to Dr. Anthony Fauci, the current Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (“NIAID”) and the Chief Medical Advisor to President of the United States, threatening to harm and/or kill Dr. Fauci and members of his family. One of the emails threatened that Dr. Fauci and his family would be “dragged into the street, beaten to death, and set on fire.” On April 24, 2021 alone, Connally sent seven threatening emails starting at 10:05 p.m.

Columbia Man Found Guilty of Second-Degree Murder in the Death of a Montgomery County Teen

By MCS Staff

Published May 20, 2022 at 7:27PM

Shawndel Arnez Weems, age 24, of Monarch Mills Way in Columbia, was found guilty today by a Howard County jury of second-degree murder and use of a handgun in the commission of a crime of violence in the fatal shooting of 18-year-old Simeon Mukuna.

On February 6, 2021, officers from Howard County Police Department arrived at the 7500 block of Monarch Mills Way for a report of a shooting. Upon arrival officers located the victim, Simeon Mukuna, lying on the ground suffering from gunshot wounds. Medics responded and immediately began rendering aid. Mukuna died on the scene.

D.C. Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges for Committing an Armed Robbery and Armed Carjacking in Montgomery County

By MCS Staff

Published May 17, 2022 at 7:21AM

Per the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Maryland: Rashaun Onley, age 22, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to federal charges of committing an armed commercial robbery, carjacking, and using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.

The guilty plea 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; Chief Robert J. Contee III of the Metropolitan Police Department; Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department; Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department; Chief Don Hayes of the City of Alexandria, Virginia Police Department; Chief Charles “Andy” Penn of the Arlington County, Virginia Police Department; and Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy; and Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy.

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

By MCS Staff

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.