Brandon Michael Gohl, 35, of Hollywood
St. Mary’s County Circuit Judge David W. Densford sentenced Brandon Michael Gohl, of Hollywood, to fifteen years in the division of corrections suspended down to eight years, as to the possession of distribution of heroin count and five years in the division of corrections, all suspended, as to the child neglect count to run consecutive. The Court also ordered five years of supervised probation.
Gohl was found to be in possession of twenty-three pills of heroin, 889 grams of marijuana, a scale, a ledger and $1,172.00 in cash.
Senior Assistant State’s Attorney and Chief of Staff, Jaymi Sterling, who prosecuted the case, argued that the Defendant’s addiction does not excuse his criminal actions. She further argued that the Defendant unnecessarily endangered the life of his two-year-old child when he decided to take the child with him to use heroin, subsequently overdosing, passing out and ultimately leaving the child trapped in the vehicle. The police eventually located the Defendant’s vehicle and were able to render aid to the Defendant, who was found unconscious, as well as the child, who was located in the back floorboard of the vehicle. Ms. Sterling argued that the end result could have been much worse and asked the Court to go above the sentencing guidelines when sentencing the Defendant.
The maximum penalty for possession with the intent to distribute heroin is twenty years in the division of corrections. The maximum penalty for child neglect is five years in the division of corrections. The sentencing guideline range for Defendant Brandon Gohl for possession with intent to distribute heroin is four years to eight years and child neglect is two years to five years.
1/28/2019: Maryland State Police arrested Brandon Michael Gohl, 35, of Hollywood, on Sunday, January 27, 2019, after he was found passed out in a truck with heroin and marijuana while his 2-year-old son was in the vehicle with him.
Shortly after 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, a trooper from the Leonardtown Barrack responded on a report of a child welfare check.
According to investigators, the mother of the suspect’s 2-year-old son contacted police after her son video chatted her apparently upset and crying while inside of Gohl’s truck. At one point in the video chat the child aimed the camera at his father who was passed out and slumped over the steering wheel.
The mother told troopers that the child was unable to provide any information on their location. A phone ping was conducted on Gohl’s phone, which revealed the phone was in the area of Forest Park Road in Lexington Park. Several police units responded to the area and began to actively search for the truck.
A trooper located the vehicle and observed two males passed out inside of it. The trooper then saw the child, who was in the back seat of the truck screaming and crying, and immediately removed him from the vehicle.
A search of the vehicle revealed 23 capsules containing suspected heroin, over $1,100 in cash and several bags containing suspected marijuana, totaling 889 grams.
Investigators also located a suspected drug /price ledger.
The other male passenger in the truck, Zackery Taylor Ricker, 23, was charged with possession of marijuana. He was issued a civil citation and released at the scene.
The child was examined by EMS personnel and returned safely to his mother.
Brandon Michael Gohl, 35, of Hollywood, is charged with possession of drugs with intent to distribute and child neglect.
Gohl was taken to MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital where after being examined by a doctor he was given a dose of Narcan.
A short time later Gohl was taken to the St. Mary’s County Detention and Rehabilitation Center.
Gohl is currently being held at the St. Mary’s County Detention and Rehabilitation Center in Leonardtown, on a no bond status. He is scheduled in St. Mary’s District Court on Tuesday, January 29, 2019, for a bail hearing with a judge.
The investigation is ongoing.
Brandon Michael Gohl, 35, of Hollywood
