Cliffton Cornelious Pickeral, 43, of Mechanicsville
Cliffton Cornelious Pickeral, 43, of Mechanicsville, was arrested on September 26, 2025, and faces multiple drug-related charges after St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s deputies reported finding cocaine packaged for distribution during a traffic stop.
According to charging documents, Pickeral has been charged with:
- Possession with intent to distribute narcotics (felony),
- Possession of equipment for the production of controlled dangerous substances (felony), and
- Possession of a controlled dangerous substance not cannabis (misdemeanor).
Deputy J. Senatore of the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office stated that he was patrolling near Old Village Road and Stasch Road in Mechanicsville after receiving a call earlier in the day about “a female doing CDS” in the area.
Deputies initially could not locate the woman, but while parked nearby, Senatore observed a black Ford Explorer with Virginia tags pull onto Stasch Road and park.
The driver whom the deputy knew to have a suspended license. As Senatore approached, a Black male passenger — later identified as Pickeral — got out of the vehicle, briefly entered the driver’s seat, then stepped out again. The deputy reported seeing Pickeral pause at the rear of the vehicle, adjust his pants with both hands, and then walk back toward the passenger side.
Senatore said that for officer safety he directed Pickeral to stand at the rear of the vehicle. According to the statement, “The male, who was later positively identified as Cliffton Cornelious Pickeral, adjusted his pants by pulling on his waistband. In doing so, a large plastic baggie containing a large amount of suspected CDS dropped out of the bottom of his pants.”
The deputy added that while being placed in hand restraints, “Pickeral attempted to kick the plastic baggie under the rear of the vehicle”.
The baggie was recovered and found to contain 10 individually tied baggies of cocaine and crack cocaine in varying weights:
- Two baggies containing about 0.5 grams of cocaine,
- Three baggies containing about 0.3 grams of crack cocaine,
- Three baggies containing about 1.7 grams of crack cocaine,
- Two baggies containing about 1.6 grams of crack cocaine, and
- One baggie containing about 1.8 grams of crack cocaine.
A search of the vehicle revealed two boxes of plastic baggies in the center console, a black cellphone, and a wallet containing Pickeral’s ID, credit card, and $50 in small denominations. Also found in the glove box was a ledger listing eight names with corresponding numbers.
Deputy Senatore wrote that “the smaller denominations of United States currency that were recovered are indicative of proceeds from the sale of smaller quantities of CDS” and that “subjects involved in the distribution of CDS keep track of monetary values they are owed for CDS related transactions”.
According to the statement of probable cause, Pickeral repeatedly insisted that the drugs were not his. Deputies recorded him saying “Man, that’s not mine” more than seven times while being detained.
Court records noted that Pickeral was convicted in 2016 in Charles County Circuit Court of possession with intent to distribute narcotics. He is also currently on federal probation for distribution of narcotics.
Pickeral appeared before a District Court commissioner on the night of his arrest and was ordered held without bond, with the commissioner noting a likelihood that he posed a danger to others and the community.
At his initial appearance, Pickeral waived his right to counsel, though he later accepted representation from the St. Mary’s County Office of the Public Defender. A bail review held on September 29, 2025, also resulted in no bond being granted.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for October 21, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. in Leonardtown.
Cliffton Cornelious Pickeral, 43, of Mechanicsville
