The St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Youth Gun Violence Task Force recently completed its three-month-long mission, executing more than 100 warrants, affecting dozens of arrests and seizing numerous illegal firearms from perpetrators.
The Youth Gun Violence Task Force continued efforts this summer that originally began in July 2020. Since June of this year, the reformed task force executed 105 search warrants, made 65 arrests and seized 19 guns in its work in St. Mary’s County.
The task force’s mission included a high visibility presence in at-risk neighborhoods to reduce the frequency of gun violence; interdiction enforcement to recover illegally possessed firearms from persons and vehicles; using covert investigative strategies to identify suspects involved in gun crimes; review and evaluation of both open and closed gun cases for intelligence and engagement with community members and organizations for information and support.
“I am immensely proud of the extraordinary hard work conducted by the Youth Gun Violence Task Force this summer,” Sheriff Tim Cameron said. “Their efforts in removing illegal firearms and arresting those carrying them has made a significant improvement in the quality of life in the St. Mary’s County community. Our work is not done. Our agency and our partners will continue to address these issues through community engagement, intervention efforts and prevention efforts,” he said.
“I would also like to sincerely thank our law enforcement and prosecution partners on the local, state and federal levels for all of their support for the task force,” the Sheriff said.
The work of the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Youth Gun Violence Task Force was a collaborative effort with the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); the US Attorney’s Office; the Maryland State Police (MSP) and the State’s Attorney’s Office for St. Mary’s County to ensure the safety and security of all residents, through the arrest and prosecution of those seeking to do harm onto others through gun violence.
Youth Gun Violence Task Force Timeline
May 24, 2021: Youth Gun Violence Task Force Announced
June 4, 2021: Members of the Youth Gun Violence Task Force conducted a vehicle in Lexington Park. A passenger in the vehicle, Tyquan Samuel Wills, age 21, of Lexington Park, was arrested and charged with the following:
- Loaded Handgun on Person
- Loaded Handgun in Vehicle
- Handgun on Person
- Handgun in Vehicle
- Firearm/Drug Trafficking Crime
- CDS: Distribute with a Firearm
- CDS: Possession-Not Marijuana (two counts)
- CDS: Possession-Marijuana more than 10 Grams
- CDS: Possession with Intent to Distribute (three counts)
- Assault Second Degree-Law Enforcement Officer
- Resisting Arrest
June 12, 2021: Members of the Youth Gun Violence Task Force were on foot patrol in Lexington Park, when an individual was observed discarding a clear, plastic bag containing suspected cocaine. Antonio Leroy Hines, age 40, of Lusby was arrested and charged with two counts of CDS: Possession-Not Marijuana.
June 12, 2021: Members of the Youth Gun Violence Task Force responded to Lexington Park to serve an outstanding warrant on Aaron Dwayne Johnson Jr., age 24, of Lexington Park. Johnson was located and arrested for Failure to Appear/Driving While Suspended.
June 14, 2021: Members of the Youth Gun Violence Task Force responded to Chancellor’s Run Park, in Great Mills, for the reported shooting. Police located Valdez Rico Baker III, age 19, of California, suffering from a gunshot wound to the head on the basketball court. Baker was transported by helicopter to an area trauma center for treatment where he later succumbed to his injuries.
June 12, 2021: Members of the Youth Gun Violence Task Force responded to the Daisy Lane in Lexington Park, for the reported shooting. Deputies located a male victim, age 21 of Lexington Park, suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest. The victim was transported by helicopter to an area trauma center for treatment.
June 16, 2021: Sheriff Tim Cameron announced several new community partners assisting with the Youth Gun Violence Task Force. The Maryland State Police is assigning Maryland Troopers to the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Youth Gun Violence Task Force, and the task force is partnering with the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Office of the State’s Attorney for St. Mary’s County.
June 11, 2021: Members of the Youth Gun Violence Task Force executed a search and seizure warrant in on Wilson Drive in Bushwood. Traven Desales Gant, age 18, of Bushwood, was arrested at the residence and charged with the following:
- Possession of a Firearm/Minor
- CDS: Possession-not Marijuana
- CDS: Possession-Paraphernalia
June 15, 2021: Members of the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Youth Gun Violence Task Force, executed a search and seizure warrant in the on Columbus Drive in Lexington Park.
Joseph Daren Brooks Jr., age 18, of Lexington Park, attempted to flee the residence on foot. Deputies pursued Brooks and took him into custody. Located in the waistband of Brooks’ jeans was a loaded handgun, and was charged with the following:
- Possession of a Firearm/Minor
- Handgun on Person
- Loaded Handgun on Person
- Resist/Interfere with Arrest
The following wanted individuals were located at the residence where the search warrant was executed and arrested:
- Keyon Micah Jasey, age 19, of New Jersey- Failure to Appear/Driving Without Required License
- Deatre Marquise Perkins, age 25, of Lexington Park- Failure to Appear/Driving Without Required License
- Oliver Thomas Smith, age 35, of Great Mills- Failure to Appear/Driving Without Required License
- Austin Dylan Winbush, age 21, of Capitol Heights- Failure to Appear/Driving While Suspended
June 21, 2021 : Tywan Thomas Morris, age 19, of Bryans Road, was arrested and charged stemming from the shooting at Daisy Lane in Lexington Park on June 14, 2021.
Morris has been charged with two counts of First-Degree Assault, Possession of a Firearm by a Minor, Handgun on Person, Loaded Handgun on Person and Firearm in the Use of a Felony or Violent Crime.
June 23, 2021: James Reginald Flanagan, age 24 of Lexington Park, was arrested the murder of Valdez Rico Baker III, which occurred at Chancellors Run Park in Great Mills. Flanagan was charged with the following:
- Murder-First Degree
- Murder-Second Degree
- Accessory After the Fact to Murder First Degree
June 24, 2021: Leonard Charles Hall III, age 27, of Lusby, was located and arrested for the murder of Valdez Rico Baker III, which occurred at Chancellors Run Park in Great Mills. Hall was charged with the following:
- Murder-First Degree
- Murder-Second Degree
July 3, 2021: Members of the Youth Gun Violence Task Force arrested De’Quan Sabien Gantt, age 20, of Lexington Park, for a shooting that occurred on May 16, 2021, on Three Notch Road in Lexington Park. A male victim, age 41 of Lexington Park, was located suffering from a gunshot wound to the abdomen. The victim was flown to an area trauma center for treatment.
Gantt was charged with the following:
- Assault First Degree
- Assault Second Degree
- Possession of Firearm/Minor
- Handgun on Person
- Loaded Handgun on Person
- Illegal Possession of Ammunition
- Regulated Firearm/Illegal Possession
- Reckless Endangerment
- Firearm Use/Felony Violent Crime
June 6, 2021: Keion Steven James Brooks, age 22, of Lexington Park, was arrested and charged after police responded to Eric Road in Lexington Park, for the reported shots fired, several shell casings were located on scene, and Brooks was charged with the following:
- Handgun on Person
- Loaded Handgun on Person
July 6, 2021: Members of the Youth Gun Violence Task Force conducted a traffic stop on Great Mills Road in Lexington Park. The operator and sole occupant of the vehicle was identified as Duane Cornelius Mason, age 33, of Lexington Park, and a vehicle search was conducted. Located in the center console of the vehicle was a loaded handgun. Mason is prohibited by law from possessing firearms.
Mason was charged with the following:
- Loaded Handgun in Vehicle
- Handgun in Vehicle
- Firearms-Possession with Felony Conviction
- Illegal Possession of Ammunition
July 9, 2021: Members of the Youth Gun Violence Task Force responded to Columbus Drive in Lexington Park, for the reported shots fired. Upon arrival deputies made contact with the victim who advised an individual named Rejon Markee Barnhill, age 20, of Lexington Park, and several other individuals, had approached her vehicle while she was driving, and shot at the vehicle.
Barnhill was located in the area, arrested and charged with the following:
- Handgun on Person
- Loaded Handgun on Person
- Possession of Firearm/Minor
- Firearm Use/Felony Violent Crime
- Reckless Endangerment
- Assault First Degree
- Assault Second Degree
July 9, 2021: Members of the Youth Gun Violence Task Force located and apprehended James Sylvester Ford Jr., age 20, of Lexington Park, on an outstanding warrant for the following:
- Possession of Firearm/Minor
- Regulated Firearm/Stolen/Sell
July 14, 2021: Members of the Youth Gun Violence Task Force received information that Terrence Andre Milburn, age 27, of Great Mills, was in possession of a handgun at a business on Great Mills Road in Lexington Park. Milburn was observed with a vehicle that had the trunk open. Located inside the trunk was a loaded handgun. Milburn was arrested and charged with the following:
- Handgun on Person
- Loaded Handgun on Person
- Handgun in Vehicle
- Loaded Handgun in Vehicle
July 14, 2021: Members of the Youth Gun Violence Task Force served an indictment on Latoya Tonelle Weaver, age 37, of Lexington Park, for the charge of Regulated Firearm/Unlawful Sale/Transfer.
July 16, 2021: Members of the Youth Gun Violence Task Force arrested Kavione Eugene Watts, age 18, of Lexington Park, on an outstanding warrant for Possession of Firearm/Minor and Regulated Firearm/Stolen/Sell.
July 21, 2021: Members of the Youth Gun Violence Task Force executed a search and seizure warrant on Munley Lane in Lexington Park. The subject of the warrant, Jamal Kedrick Davis, age 24, of Lexington Park, was arrested and charged with the following:
- Loaded Handgun on Person
- Handgun in Vehicle
- Illegal Possession of Ammunition
- Assault Weapon/Magazine Use
- Firearm: Possession with Felony Conviction
- Firearm: Use/Felony Violent Crime
- Firearm: Drug Trafficking Crime
- CDS: Distribution with Firearm
- CDS: Possession of Firearm
- CDS: Possession with Intent to Distribute
- CDS: Possession-not Marijuana
July 22, 2021: Members of the Youth Gun Violence Task Force were in Lexington Park, to serve an outstanding warrant on Jamaze Jovan Wood, age 22, of no fixed address. Wood was served an outstanding warrant for assault first and second degree/failure to appear. He was also attested and charged with burglary fourth degree and resisting arrest.
July 22, 2021: Members of the Youth Gun Violence Task Force located D’Montre Montez Bush, age 21, of Lexington Park. Bush was arrested and served an indictment for the following charges:
- Firearm-Possession/Crime of Violence/Felony Conviction
- Loaded Handgun on Person
- Reckless Endangerment
July 27, 2021: Members of the Youth Gun Violence Task Force located William Shawn Carter, age 46 of no fixed address, in the 21800 block of North Shangri La Drive in Lexington Park. Carter had an outstanding warrant for his arrest for the following charges:
- CDS: Possession of Firearms
- Regulated Firearm: Illegal Possession
- Regulated Firearm: Stolen/Sell
- Theft
When Carter was taken into custody suspected cocaine and fentanyl and a CDS smoking device were located on his person as well as a backpack containing numerous grocery items, later determined to have been stolen. Carter was transported to the St. Mary’s County Detention and Rehabilitation Center in Leonardtown and served the outstanding warrant and additionally charged with CDS: Possession-Not Marijuana, CDS: Possession-Paraphernalia and Theft.
July 27, 2021: Sheriff Tim Cameron announced the Federal Bureau of Investigation as a collaborative community partner in the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Youth Gun Violence Task Force.
July 28, 2021: Members of the Youth Gun Violence Task Force located Jeremiah Lee Logan Jr., age 19 of Lexington Park, in the 46600 block of Yorktown Road in Lexington Park. Logan had an outstanding warrant for his arrest and was taken into custody. The warrant was served on Logan charging him with the following:
- Handgun on Person
- Loaded Handgun on Person
- Reckless Endangerment
August 4, 2021: Members of the Youth Gun Violence Task Force served an arrest warrant on Charles Henry Thompson Jr., age 27, of Lexington Park, for the following charges:
- Assault First Degree
- Assault Second Degree
- Handgun in Vehicle
- Handgun on Person
- Loaded Handgun on Person
- Loaded Handgun in Vehicle
- Reckless Endangerment
- Regulated Firearm/Illegal Possession
- Illegal Possession of Ammunition
Thompson was incarcerated at the St. Mary’s County Detention and Rehabilitation Center in Leonardtown.
August 19, 2021: In July of 2021, detectives from the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Vice/Narcotics Division began an investigation into the distribution of controlled dangerous substances (CDS) by Marcus Jerome Hicks, age 25, of Lexington Park. On August 19, 2021, with assistance from the Emergency Services Team (EST), the Youth Gun Violence Task Force, and the Patrol Division, search and seizure warrants were executed on Hicks’ residence and vehicle. As a result, suspected cocaine and firearms were located.
Hicks was arrested and charged with the following:
- CDS: Possession with Intent to Distribute
- CDS: Possession-Not Marijuana
- CDS: Possession-Paraphernalia
- Firearm/Drug Trafficking Crime
- Rifle/Shotgun: Unregistered
