Per the Office of the Montgomery County State’s Attorney: In the Circuit Court for Montgomery County, MD, before Jusge Michael McAuliffe, a jury has convicted defendant, Joshua Grice, 30, of Washington D.C., on charges of first-degree rape and first-degree burglary-home invasion for breaking into a Takoma Park home and sexually assaulting a 9-year-old girl who was asleep in her bedroom.
Grice faces a mandatory minimum of 25 years in prison and the potential of a life sentence. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 22, 2023, at 9:30 a.m. The verdict came back late yesterday afternoon after a six-day trial prosecuted by Assistant State’s Attorney’s Frank Lazzaro and Daniela Chavez.
“This violent offender preyed on a young, innocent child. Due to the efforts of the Montgomery County Crime Lab, Montgomery County Police and our trial team, justice is being served. We also want to recognize the Tree House Child Advocacy Center for its impactful work in cases involving vulnerable victims”, said State’s Attorney John McCarthy.
One in three teens experience dating abuse. So the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, Police, State’s Attorney’s Office, Family Justice Center and MCPS have teamed up for RespectFest to begin discussing what healthy dating relationships look like early on. RespectFest is currently running (April 10-16) with virtual seminars and events running through April 14th. Then the in-person festival will be held on Sunday April 16th from 1-4 p.m. at the Wheaton Community Rec Center and Park.
The family-friendly event will include activities to learn about dating violence, consent, how to help a friend, what the warning signs are and what the resources are in the community. There will also be performances, FREE food, yoga and self-defense demos, raffle prizes, a resource fair with other community organizations, and story-time at the Wheaton Library.
The festival will also announce the winners of the Choose Respect Video Contest! (This year there are more than 300 submissions of PSA type videos and in most cases, multiple students worked on each one. Top prize is $1000) MCPS students can earn up to 8 SSL hours by participating in the education activities. If you’re curious to see previous videos, you can view past winners videos here: https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/fjc/chooserespect/video.html
Per the The State’s Attorney’s Office Special Victims Division: The office is highlighting the fact that with stalking crimes, intervention can prevent violence. An estimated 13.5 million people are stalked annually in the United States according to the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nearly 1 in 3 women and 1 in 6 men have experienced stalking. https://www.stalkingawareness.org/ is a great resource, and the Montgomery County Family Justice Center can help if you are being stalked by a current or former intimate partner. Educate yourself on stalking related laws in Maryland:
MD. CODE ANN. § 3-802 (WEST 2021). STALKING
“Stalking” defined
(a) In this section, “stalking” means a malicious course of conduct that includes approaching or pursuing another where:
(1) the person intends to place or knows or reasonably should have known the conduct would place another in reasonable fear:
(i) 1. of serious bodily injury;
2. of an assault in any degree;
3. of rape or sexual offense as defined by §§ 3-303 through 3-308 of this title or attempted rape or sexual offense in any degree;
4. of false imprisonment; or
5. of death; or
(ii) that a third person likely will suffer any of the acts listed in item (i) of this item; or
(2) the person intends to cause or knows or reasonably should have known that the conduct would cause serious emotional distress to another.
Scope of section
(b) The provisions of this section do not apply to conduct that is:
(1) performed to ensure compliance with a court order;
(2) performed to carry out a specific lawful commercial purpose; or
(3) authorized, required, or protected by local, State, or federal law.
Prohibited
(c) A person may not engage in stalking.
Penalty
(d) A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 5 years or a fine not exceeding $5,000 or both.
Sentence
(e) A sentence imposed under this section may be separate from and consecutive to or concurrent with a sentence for any other crime based on the acts establishing a violation of this section.
Statement of Charges, per the Montgomery County State’s Attorney: “On 12/8/22 at 3:00 PM, Montgomery County Police responded to a convenience store at the Shell Gas station located at 11150 New Hampshire Ave, Silver Spring, Montgomery County, Maryland for a report of a shooting. Upon arrival, officers found the victim, Ayalew Wondimu, a black male with date of birth of 11/6/61, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Investigation revealed the victim was working inside the store, behind the register when he was shot. Wondimu was pronounced deceased on the scene.
Your affiant (Detective Dimitry Ruvin) reviewed surveillance video from inside and outside the store. The video showed the suspect entering the store at 2:58PM. The suspect selected a soft drink and then approached the victim, who was standing behind the cash register. The suspect appeared to have a conversation with the victim and then picked up several items from on top of the counter and threw them at the victim. The victim picked up a pole and attempted to strike the suspect. The suspect then backed up and produced a handgun and fired at the victim.
The victim fell down behind the register. The suspect then approached the counter, leaned over and fired several more shots into the victim’s body. The suspect then picked up the soft drink and left the store. Torrey Damien Moore, a black male with date of birth of 4/13/91, was developed as a suspect and your affiant obtained an arrest warrant charging the suspect with First Degree Murder (CR 2-201) and Use of a Firearm in a Felony / Violent Crime (CR 4-204 (b)).
Your affiant also obtained a search warrant for the suspect’s residence located at 11235 Oak Leaf Drive, Apartment 809, Silver Spring, Montgomery County, Maryland. The search warrant was served on 12/9/22. The suspect was arrested inside the residence. A Jimenez Arms semiautomatic handgun was recovered from the residence during the execution of the search warrant. A body of a deceased female was discovered on the floor of the bedroom of the apartment residence. The body was in an advanced stage of decomposition.
The suspect was transported to the Montgomery County Police headquarters, advised of his Miranda rights and interviewed. The suspect confessed to going to the store in question, engaging in an altercation with the store clerk and shooting him. The suspect was asked about the deceased female in his apartment and he stated that it was his girlfriend, Denise Middleton, a black female with date of birth of 3/14/96.
While talking to the suspect, your affiant discussed a possibility that Denise Middleton was shot with the same gun as victim, Ayalew Wondimu, at the gas station store. The suspect responded, “I’m pretty positive she was shot with the same gun”
‘The suspect stated that he briefly left the residence and when he returned he discovered the victim deceased and found a gun in his residence. He later used this gun to shoot the store’s clerk. The suspect denied killing the victim, Denise Middleton. Your affiant asked the suspect to go over the circumstances surrounding Denise Middleton’s death and he described the following:
Sometime in October of 2022, the suspect responded to New York City to bring Denise Middleton back to Maryland. When asked to narrow the timeframe, the suspect stated he left for New York right after he contacted the Montgomery County Police about a vandalism to his apartment door. Montgomery County police records showed that he filed that report on 10/5/22. The suspect stated the two returned back to Montgomery County from New York city shortly thereafter. On the day of Denise Middleton’s death, they left the apartment to get food. According to the suspect he began arguing with Denise Middleton on the way back to the apartment. The suspect stated, “I pushed her down” in front of his apartment residence. The suspect stated Denise Middleton was “acing like I was trying to kill her”. The suspect stated he told Denise Middleton to “get off the ground” and “stop putting on a show”. The suspect stated once at the residence, Denise Middleton was “still kirking out a little bit.” The suspect stated, “a slap was probably thrown” and “I probably choked her a little bit. The suspect stated he and Denise Middleton then went into the bedroom and that he was trying to calm Denise Middleton down. The suspect stated he then left to buy some marijuana. The suspect stated he returned within an hour and discovered Denise Middleton deceased. When asked if Denise Middleton had any gun shot wounds or other wounds the suspect stated that he was not sure. The suspect further stated that Denise Middleton was pregnant and that she told him that the baby was his. The suspect stated that the baby was due in October and that it was a boy. The suspect continued to deny killing Denise Middleton. The suspect also stated a few days after discovering Denise Middleton deceased, he travelled to California and stayed there for over a month. He recently returned back to Maryland and to his residence.
Your affiant wants to note the following about the ballistic evidence in this case. Four (4) FC 9mm luger spent shell casings were recovered at the Shell gas station store scene. The handgun recovered in the suspect’s residence contained one (1) live FC 9mm luger round in the chamber and six (6) rounds in the handgun’s magazine. Two (2) spent FC 9mm luger shell casings were found near Denise Middleton’s body.
On 12/10/22, your affiant attended the autopsy conducted at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) for the State of Maryland. Your affiant learned Denise Middleton was shot seven (7) times and several projectiles were recovered from her body. A male fetus was discovered during the autopsy. Your affiant was advised by a forensic pathologist that the fetus was viable.
The suspect’s criminal history includes arrests for Armed Robbery, First and Second Degree Assaults, Robbery with Deadly Weapon, Kidnapping, CDS Possession with Intent to Distribute, Loaded handgun on person and other charges. Your affiant also learned the suspect was currently wanted for an aggravated assault on victim Denise Middleton from Norfolk, Virginia. Your affiant obtained a police report dated 6/2/22 from Norfolk Police. In that case, Denise Middleton told police that the suspect “had punched and then choked her for about three minutes to the point she could not breath”.
Based on the above stated facts, your affiant has probable cause to believe that the suspect, Torrey Moore, murdered the victim, Denise Middleton. Your affiant further believes in doing so, the suspect caused the death of a viable fetus. Based on the above stated facts, your affiant requests an arrest warrant be issued for Torrey Damien Moore charging him with First Degree Murder (CR 2-201) (Victim – Denise Middleton) and Murder or Manslaughter of Viable Fetus (CR 2-103).
The above stated events occurred in Silver Spring, Montgomery County, Maryland.”
After reviewing the report by the Office of Court-Ordered Evaluations and Placements (OCEP) within the Department of Health (MDH), Judge Amy Bills ruled last week that Moore is not competent to stand trial and is scheduled a date for a competency hearing on June 13th, 2023. She also scheduled a preliminary hearing for January 6th, 2023.
FBI agent Eduardo Valdivia has been found not guilty by a jury on Friday after he was charged with attempted murder for an off-duty shooting that occurred on a Metro train in Bethesda on December 15, 2020.
According to Fox 5, “Valdivia was on a Red Line train near the Medical Center station in Bethesda on December 15, 2020 when a man allegedly approached him and asked for money. A confrontation developed after Valdivia said no, and the man reportedly muttered expletives while turning away. A video of the incident, released on Wednesday, shows Valdivia fire and shoot the man from close range. The man stumbles and sits in a seat while a nearby passenger moves away from the area. Both Valdivia and the man exit the train.” The man was taken to Suburban Hospital and survived. The video released, which can be seen below, has no audio.
Metro surveillance video released showing 2020 shooting by FBI agent onboard train in Bethesda GRAPHIC VIDEO | DISCRETION ADVISED: Surveillance video from inside a Metrorail train showing an FBI agent shooting a man who confronted him while he was on his way to work nearly two years ago has been released. (Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office)
In the Circuit Court for Montgomery County, MD, before Judge Christopher Fogleman, a jury has convicted defendant, James McClain, 39, of Rockville, on charges of second-degree rape, attempted second-degree rape and two counts of third-degree sex offense for his assault on a victim who was previously unknown to him. The incident occurred on July 17, 2021 in a secluded area adjacent to the Wheaton Metro Station. It should be noted, the victim in this case is diagnosed with autism, bipolar disorder, schizo-affective disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
After a three-day trial, the jury deliberated for less than an hour and convicted the defendant late yesterday evening. McClain faces up to 60-years in prison and a sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 1, 2023. “The bravery of the victim in coming forward initially and then participating in the trial, testifying before the jury, cannot be overstated. We are grateful for her help and the prosecutorial work of Assistant State’s Attorneys Gabriel Carrera and Lauren Fetsch. A predator in our community will now be held to account,” said State’s Attorney John McCarthy.
Montgomery County Circuit Court Judge James Bonifant has found Catherine Hoggle incompetent to stand trial in disappearance of her two young children. Under Maryland law, felony charges have to be dismissed five years after the first time a defendant was found incompetent, so Judge James Bonifant has dismissed the two murder charges against Hoggle. Judge James Bonifant says Catherine Hoggle “meets the criteria for involuntary confinement,” because doctors say she is schizophrenic, delusional and paranoid.
Background of the case, per the Maryland Court of Special Appeals: Catherine Hoggle is the mother of Sarah Hoggle and Jacob Hoggle. According to the State, the two children were last seen in the care of their mother on September 7, 2014. At that time, Sarah was five years old, and Jacob was three years old. Hoggle was arrested three days after the children disappeared. Officers interrogated her for several hours, but they did not learn the location of the children.
Within one week of the arrest, the State filed a series of charging documents against Hoggle in the District Court of Maryland for Montgomery County. First, the State charged her with two counts of neglect of a minor. Next, the State charged her with one count of obstruction of justice. Finally, the State charged her with two counts of abduction or unlawful detention of a child by a relative. An evaluator from the Health Department examined Hoggle, who had a history of schizophrenia. The evaluator concluded that Hoggle was incompetent to stand trial at that time.
On January 10, 2015, the district court found that Hoggle was incompetent to stand trial and ordered that she be committed at Clifton T. Perkins Hospital. As required by statute, the district court periodically reviewed the issue of Hoggle’s competency. On nine occasions from the date of commitment until September 2017, the district court found that Hoggle remained incompetent and that she continued to meet the criteria for commitment.
At a separate proceeding in March 2016, about 18 months after the initiation of the 3 misdemeanor case in the district court, a prosecutor informed the court that the State planned to charge Hoggle with the murders of her two children. The prosecutor said that the State had decided to delay the indictment so that the grand jury might be available, if needed, to investigate the disappearance of the two children. According to the prosecutor, once the State obtained an indictment, the State would no longer be able to use the grand jury as an investigative entity.
On September 14, 2017, the State dismissed all charges against Hoggle in district court by entering a nolle prosequi. On the same day, the State obtained an indictment charging her in the Circuit Court for Montgomery County with first-degree murder of Sarah Hoggle and first-degree murder of Jacob Hoggle. More information about the case can be seen here.
In the Circuit Court for Montgomery County, MD, before Judge David Lease, a jury has convicted defendant, Jose Lara-Chacon, 26, of Wheaton, of first-degree murder for the death of 21-year-old Dimer Diaz Martinez. The verdict came in late yesterday evening. Lara-Chacon faces a potential sentence of up to life in prison. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for January 27, 2023, at 9:00 a.m.
This stems from an incident on January 22, 2021 in an apartment along the 12000 block of Viers Mill Rd. in Wheaton. The defendant called 911 requesting emergency response to the scene, stating he and the victim had been drinking alcohol and that he injured the victim. During an interview with detectives, the defendant stated he hit the victim with a baseball bat twice in the head and “finished off” the victim by stabbing him in the neck.
The victim was nearly decapitated. The defendant stated after he stabbed the victim, he placed a knife in the victim’s hand and then called 911. A photo of Jose Lara-Chacon can be seen below.
Today in the Circuit Court for Montgomery County, Judge John Maloney sentenced defendant, Jhasir Devaux, to ten years in prison after a jury convicted defendant, Jhasir Devaux, 25, of Baltimore, MD, on one count of robbery on October 26th. This stems from the robbery of the Sandy Spring Bank located at 14241 Layhill Road in Silver Spring on Aug. 7th, 2019. The defendant wore a construction vest and hospital mask (this was prior to the pandemic) when he entered the bank and passed the teller a note demanding money. Devaux made off with approximately $4,780.
The following is a summary of events: On 8-7-2019 at approximately 12:59pm, police were dispatched to a bank robbery that just occurred at the Sandy Spring Bank located at 14241 Layhill Road Silver Spring, Montgomery County, Maryland, 20906. Police Interviewed the victim bank teller. The victim stated that at 1255 hours the suspect, described as: a black male, approximately 6’3″ tall, weighing approximately 2251bs, wearing a dark blue long sleeve hooded sweatshirt, orange construction vest, yellow construction hard hat, black sunglasses, white hospital mask, blue gloves and maroon pants, entered the bank and approached her teller window, the suspect handed her a folded piece of paper and advised that his account number was on the paper and he wanted to withdraw his money from the account. She opened the piece of paper and observed It to be a note stating to give him all the money and not include any dye packs. The victim gave the suspect approximately $4,780 in US Currency from her cash drawer and observed the suspect run out the front door of the bank.
A witness employee at the bank stated the suspect ran towards Catoctin Drive and that this same bank was robbed in 2016 by a suspect that matched the same physical description. This person was also a witness to the 2016 bank robbery. Multiple K-9 units responded, and a track was initiated which led to the area of Catoctin Drive where the track was then lost. The investigation revealed Jhasir Mrquis Devaux robbed the same bank on April 9, 2016. During this robbery Devaux passed a note and robbed the bank and was arrested and charged with the bank robbery as well as a carjacking. Devaux pleaded guilty to the bank robbery and carjacking and served jail time.
Devaux has previously lived on Catamount Court, Silver Spring MD where his grandmother currently resides. Catoctin Drive and Catamount Court intersect with each other. This is also the area were K-9 track ended and the employee witness last saw the suspect running towards after the robbery on August 7, 2019. Devaux matched the physical description of the bank robber. On August 9, 2019, Detectives interviewed his grandmother and she advised she had last seen him at her residence in late July into early August 2019 and he spent two nights at her residence. She also provided the cellular number 443-xxx-xxxx and stated she had spoken to him on that number as recently as August 5, 2019.
Police obtained a search warrant for the call detail records and cell tower history of cellular number 443-xxx-xxxx currently used by Devaux. Verizon provided the call detail records and cell tower history which indicate that cellular number was being used on or near the Sandy Spring bank during the time of bank robbery. The robbery note that was passed by the suspect in the bank robbery was collected and processed by a Montgomery County Forensic technician and submitted to the RAFIS for examination. The known latent fingerprint of Jhasir Devaux was identified on the robbery note used in the bank robbery.
Today in the Circuit Court for Montgomery County, MD, Judge David Boynton sentenced, defendant, Macdoff Oghenejabo Okah,46, of Silver Spring, to 60 years suspend all but 40 years in prison and 5 years of supervised probation upon release. The sentence was for six counts of criminal charges related to a guilty plea entered by Okah on charges of sexual abuse of a vulnerable adult and sexual offense in the third degree and Okah’s conviction in a separate case where a jury found him guilty of one count of sexual abuse of a vulnerable adult and three counts of sexual offense in the third degree.
There were two victims involved and the incidents occurred in 2018 and 2019 while Okah was employed as a Psychiatric Tech at Adventist Healthcare Behavioral Health located in the 14900 block of Broschart Rd. in Rockville. He was in a position where he was entrusted with the care of these women and took advantaged of that, targeting them while they were in psychiatric crisis and had no way to defend themselves. Judge Boynton also ruled that Okah will be on the sex offender registry for life and can never work in the health care profession again or have unsupervised contact with vulnerable adults
The first incident (to which Okah plead guilty today) occurred in February 2018. Victim A was involuntarily committed for psychiatric care when Okah forced Victim A into vaginal intercourse in her room. The second incident (which was tried before a jury this week) occurred in June 2019. Victim B was involuntarily committed for psychiatric care when Okah entered her room and kissed her on the mouth, placed his mouth on her breast, and pressed his penis against her buttocks. Evidence of Okah’s DNA was later found around Victim B’s mouth and breast.
.
Today in the Circuit Court for Montgomery County, MD, Judge Chris Fogleman sentenced defendant, John Tomlinson, 29, to 30 years suspend all but 15 years in prison. Ten of those years are mandatory meaning he won’t be eligible for parole until after then. Judge Fogleman also ordered 5 years supervised probation upon Tomlinson’s release. Tomlinson pleaded guilty to charges of attempted second-degree murder and prohibited person in possession of a firearm on August 25th. This stems from an incident on Dec. 13, 2021 at 2:14 a.m. in the area of Thayer Avenue and Manor Lane (video below).
A man, later identified as John Tomlinson, saw a driver collide with his friend’s vehicle parked on Manor Lane. As Tomlinson’s friend engaged in an altercation with the driver, Tomlinson ran down the street, retrieved a handgun from another vehicle and then returned to the scene firing off nine gunshots, hitting the vehicle, street signs and at least five businesses on Bonifant Street. Miraculously no one was injured. Video from a Tesla parked nearby was used along with area surveillance video to identify Tomlinson and he was in possession of a firearm when he was arrested the following month.
Assistant State’s Attorneys Teresa Casafranca and CJ Herbert, a member of our Silver Spring Crime Suppression Task Force, prosecuted this case. “When we have a case like this where someone came forward to share evidence and enabled us to hold the defendant accountable for putting lives in danger, it’s a great message. We thank the owner of the Tesla for cooperating with law enforcement and helping to make the community safer,” said State’s Attorney John McCarthy.
Original press release: Detectives from the Montgomery County Police Department – 3rd District Investigative Section have arrested and charged 29-year-old John Tomlinson for a December 13, 2021 shooting in downtown Silver Spring. On December 13, at approximately 2:14 a.m., 3rd District Officers responded to the area of Thayer Ave. and Mayor Lane for the report of a shooting that just occurred.
The investigation by detectives has determined that an individual, later identified as John Tomlinson, observed an impaired driver colliding with his friend’s vehicle parked on Mayor Lane. Tomlinson observed his friend engaging in a physical altercation with the driver of the striking vehicle. Tomlinson ran down the street, retrieved a handgun from another vehicle, and returned to the scene. He then fired multiple rounds at the victim driver, striking his vehicle, street signs and at least five businesses on Bonifant St. The victim was not injured.
During the course of the investigation, Tomlinson was identified as a potential suspect. Probable cause was developed to charge Tomlinson with attempted first-degree murder and illegal possession of a firearm via an arrest warrant. On January 31, 2022, undercover detectives observed Tomlinson leaving Society Restaurant & Lounge in downtown Silver Spring. Detectives followed Tomlinson as he was approaching a vehicle. Tomlinson noticed that he was being followed by detectives and attempted to flee the scene, but he was quickly apprehended. Two firearms were recovered from this vehicle, which had been reported as stolen out of Loudoun County, Virginia.
Tomlinson was transported to the Central Processing Unit, where he was also charged with firearm possession with felony conviction, loaded handgun in vehicle and unlawful taking of a motor vehicle. He is being held without bond.
