State’s Attorney Archives - Page 3 of 5

15 Years for Defendant in Shooting over Marijuana Deal

Published November 6, 2023 at 1:35PM

Per the Office of the State’s Attorney: “Today in the Circuit Court for Montgomery County, MD, the Honorable Cheryl McCally sentenced defendant, Tavon Burton, 21, of Gaithersburg, to 20 years in prison suspend all but 15 years to serve and five years of supervised probation upon release. The State requested Burton be admitted to the Patuxent Youthful Offender program and Judge McCally recommended he be admitted to the program while incarcerated.

Burton pleaded guilty on July 24^th, 2023 to first-degree assault for an incident on October 10^th, 2022 when he fired a gunshot at a 21-year old male from whom he planned to purchase marijuana. The victim told police Burton attempted to hand him counterfeit money and a confrontation ensued. As part of the plea agreement, Burton also pleaded guilty to an unrelated burglary charge from January 2021.”

Montgomery County State’s Attorney First in Maryland to Unveil “Data Dashboard”

By MCS Staff

Published October 19, 2023 at 5:55PM

Today, the State’s Attorney’s Office for Montgomery County unveiled a “data dashboard,” a publicly available resource designed to provide the community with access to information about case referrals, outcomes, and performance indicators. The Montgomery County Prosecutorial Dashboard was created by the nonprofit agency, Prosecutorial Performance Indicators. The Office of the State’s Attorney states that they are pleased to be able to provide a clearer view into the work of our office and how the criminal justice system operates in our community. This is the result of a two-year grant funded study commissioned by State’s Attorney John McCarthy. It is the first of its kind in the state of Maryland.

As part of this project, we received the Final Report on Racial Justice in Prosecution in Montgomery County from Brian Johnson, PhD, a professor of Criminology at the University of Maryland in collaboration with Towson University and George Washington University. It is published within the dashboard under the heading “Data Stories.” “Data and transparency lead to greater access to justice. This is a starting place, and we will now be able to monitor trends over time to understand what’s working and where there are opportunities for improvement,” said State’s Attorney John McCarthy. A link to the dashboard is now available via the State’s Attorney’s Office website and it will be updated regularly. “We thank State’s Attorney John McCarthy for his leadership and willingness to commit to building a data culture within his office and promoting transparency in prosecution,” said Melba Pearson, Esq., Co-Manager of the PPIs and Director of Prosecution Projects, Florida International University

‘Speak Up, Save a Life’ Video Contest Comes With $1,000 Top Prize

By MCS Staff

Published October 10, 2023 at 2:36PM

This contest challenges teenagers to create an original video to promote awareness of the dangers of opioid abuse/overdose and fentanyl among teens. It is open to all 6th – 12th grade students living in Montgomery County. Top prize is $1,000, second place is $750, third place and fan favorite winners will receive $500 all donated by The Magnolia Companies in honor of two young Montgomery County residents lost to fentanyl; Michael Pisarra and Matthew Loudoun.

Students can enter the contest on their own or as a group; however, students may only participate in ONE entry. If a student in any way participates in more than one PSA video, all of those entries will be disqualified. Video entries including illegal items, inappropriate language, or illustrating the use of needles/syringes, a violent or graphic overdose, or violence in general will not be accepted.** Participants are encouraged to be creative!

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Montgomery County

By MCS Staff

Published October 2, 2023 at 11:56AM

The Montgomery County Domestic Violence Coordinating Council (DVCC) reminds us that October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The Montgomery County Council will present a proclamation tomorrow morning, October 3^rd, 2023, recognizing Domestic Violence Awareness Month and throughout the month of October, visitors to the Silver Spring Civic Building at Veterans Plaza will notice a display of several dozen yard signs containing real warning signs for those experiencing domestic violence and information about available resources. We hope these warning signs shine a light on the prevalence of domestic violence, how to help a loved one, and free resources at the Montgomery County Family Justice Center, and Trauma Services. For digital images of the signs, please visit: www.tinyurl.com/mocodvam

Need help? If you are in need of assistance or have concerns for a friend or family member, call the Montgomery County Family Justice Center at 240-773-0444, the Montgomery County Crisis Center at 240-777-4000 or email [email protected]. The project is an initiative of the DVCC, whose members include the Montgomery County Office of the Sheriff, Montgomery County Police Department, Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office, District Court of Maryland for Montgomery County, Montgomery County Circuit Court, Board of Education, Montgomery County Public Schools, Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services, Montgomery County Council, Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, Montgomery County Commission for Women, and the Montgomery County Department of Correction and Rehabilitation.

Man Sentenced to Life in Prison For Murdering His Former Boss

By MCS Staff

Published May 1, 2023 at 7:24PM

Per the Office of the Montgomery County State’s Attorney: Defendant, Billy Phillips, sentenced today to life plus 65 years for the murder of his former boss, Geoffrey Biddle, inside Biddle’s Bethesda home.

For a period of time, Geoffrey Biddle had trusted the defendant to work for his company, and the defendant abused that trust by using what he learned during his employment to plan his vicious, premeditated attack. According to witnesses, Billy Phillips was fired from his job in April 2021 for fraud and was in financial despair. On June 23rd, 2021, the defendant terrorized Biddle inside Biddle’s own basement and ultimately shot him four times, the final shot being close range to the victim’s head. Phillips had disabled Biddle’s car to prevent him from trying to escape. He also impersonated Biddle via email to excuse Biddle’s absence from work. Hours after the murder, Phillips was cashing forged checks from the victim’s bank account. When he was arrested, the victim’s bank card and checkbook were in his car.

Defendant Faces Potential of Life in Prison for Rape of 9-Year-Old Girl

By MCS Staff

Published April 25, 2023 at 4:31PM

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.

RespectFest Festival Takes Place on Sunday, April 16

By MCS Staff

Published April 14, 2023 at 7:05AM

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.

From the State’s Attorney Office: January is National Stalking Awareness Month

By MCS Staff

Published January 6, 2023 at 7:11PM

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:

“Stalking” defined

Statement of Charges For Torrey Moore; Man Accused of Killing Shell Station Employee and 8-Month Pregnant Woman in White Oak

By MCS Staff

Published December 23, 2022 at 12:43PM

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.

FBI Agent Found Not Guilty in 2020 Metro Shooting That Occurred in Montgomery County

By MCS Staff

Published December 3, 2022 at 1:35PM

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.

Guilty Verdict in 2021 Rape Case

By MCS Staff

Published December 1, 2022 at 4:40PM | Updated December 1, 2022 at 4:56PM

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.