Charles Henry Thompson Jr., 31, of Leonardtown
Charles Henry Thompson Jr., 31, of Leonardtown, is facing a felony charge after correctional staff allegedly discovered a homemade weapon in his jail cell earlier this October, according to court records filed in the District Court for St. Mary’s County.
Thompson has been formally charged with one count of Contraband – Conceal Weapon under Maryland Criminal Code § 9-414(a)(3), which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and/or a $5,000 fine.
According to the statement of probable cause filed by Deputy Cody Donaldson of the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office, on October 7, 2025, around 12:59 p.m., law enforcement responded to a report from the St. Mary’s County Detention and Rehabilitation Center regarding a concealed weapon found inside a cell.
Correctional Officer Kidder, who had conducted the initial search of Thompson’s cell on October 4, 2025, reportedly told authorities that the search was prompted by the smell of smoke coming from the cell.
During the search, Officer Kidder allegedly found a “shank” concealed in a drawer among Thompson’s personal belongings. The improvised weapon was described as approximately six inches in length, suspected to have been made from a broken mop handle. The handle was reportedly wrapped in white cloth, and the blade was sharpened to a point.
Court documents allege that the weapon was concealed with the intent to effect an escape from a place of confinement.
Thompson was initially charged in District Court on October 7, 2025. The case was later forwarded to the Circuit Court for St. Mary’s County on November 4, 2025, where proceedings remain ongoing.
Thompson is currently being held at the St. Mary’s County Detention and Rehabilitation Center.
