UPDATE 8/12/2024: State’s Attorney Jaymi Sterling announced today that Laray Anthony Maddox, 42, of California, Maryland, was sentenced to 30 years in prison with 11 years and 6 months of active incarceration for drug-related charges in reference to the recovery of over two kilograms of cocaine.
Maddox was found guilty of Possession with Intent to Distribute Narcotics in relation to a 2022 incident, as well as Controlled Dangerous Substance Possession Large Amount and Controlled Dangerous Substance Proceeds in relation to a 2023 incident.
The Court ordered the sentences for both incidents to run consecutively to each other.
Officers from the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office responded to a wooded area in California, Maryland, on November 2, 2022, for a report of an abandoned suspicious bag. The bag contained a box with approximately 158 grams of cocaine that was found to belong to Maddox.
On July 14, 2023, officers observed Maddox enter the same wooded area, and a search after Maddox’s departure revealed two kilograms of cocaine. A search warrant was subsequently executed on Maddox’s residence, and a large amount of cash and other evidence of distribution were seized.
“Removing drug dealers from the streets of St. Mary’s County is paramount to our community’s safety and well-being,” said State’s Attorney Sterling. “The inherent danger of this poisonous substance was further exacerbated by the defendant when he left such a large amount of cocaine easily accessible and thereby significantly increased the potential for harm to unsuspecting individuals, including our children and families. Thank you to the members of the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division, Vice/Narcotics Unit, for their thorough investigation of this case and their unwavering commitment to public safety.”
Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Lisa Ridge, Chief of Narcotics, prosecuted the case on behalf of the citizens of St. Mary’s County.
Lieutenant Brian Fennessey of the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office was the lead investigator.
The Honorable Michael J. Stamm presided over the case.
On July 13, the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office conducted an investigation into the distribution of drugs by Laray Anthony Maddox age 41, of California, MD.
As a result, probable cause was developed that Maddox was in possession of Controlled Dangerous Substances (CDS).
Maddox was observed leaving a wooded area prior to returning to his residence.
Investigators located approximately 2 kilos (4.4 pounds) of suspected Cocaine from that wooded area, located along a public roadway.
Maddox was located at his residence during the execution of a search and seizure warrant that investigators obtained based on the observations above.
The results of this search warrant revealed Maddox was in procession of multiple items used during the manufacturing, possession, packaging and distribution of illegal drugs, as well as approximately $17,000 in suspected drug proceeds.
Maddox was arrested and charged with the following offenses:
- CDS: Possession – Large Amount
- CDS: Possession with Intent to Distribute: Narcotics
- CDS: Possession – Not Cannabis
- CDS: Possession – Paraphernalia
This investigation was the result of the combined efforts of your Sheriff’s Office Vice Narcotics and Criminal Intelligence Units, assisted by your Emergency Services Team, and the Patrol and Special Operations Divisions.
