Darius Chew, 21, of Lexington Park
Darius Chew, 21, of Lexington Park, has been formally charged with two felony counts of aggravated animal cruelty and two misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty following a disturbing incident captured on surveillance video, according to court documents filed in St. Mary’s County District Court.
Chew was arrested on August 27, 2025, in connection with an alleged incident that took place on August 21, 2025, at an apartment complex on Liberty Street in Lexington Park. The case remains open and is scheduled for trial on September 29, 2025, in Courtroom 1 of the St. Mary’s District Court.
According to the charging documents, Deputy Melton of the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of suspected animal abuse after an animal control officer received surveillance video footage from the property manager of Lexington Village Apartments. The footage reportedly showed Chew chasing a medium-sized pitbull before striking and violently handling the dog.
The report states that the dog appeared to cower before being kicked. Chew then allegedly lifted the dog by the neck, slammed her onto a concrete sidewalk, and carried her while suspended in the air before taking the animal inside his apartment. The property manager identified Chew as the sole occupant of the apartment and confirmed he owned the dog shown in the footage.
Court documents state that Chew is facing the following charges:
- Two counts of aggravated cruelty to animals (felony), each carrying a maximum penalty of three years in prison and/or a $5,000 fine.
- Two counts of animal cruelty (misdemeanor), each carrying a maximum penalty of 90 days in jail and/or a $1,000 fine.
Chew was released on a $1,500 unsecured personal bond on the same day as his arrest and waived his right to an attorney at the initial appearance.
The investigation was initiated by the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office following a referral from the local animal control officer.
Darius Chew, 21, of Lexington Park
