Demetrius Antoine McKinney, 32, of Newburg
Demetrius Antoine McKinney, 32, of Newburg, was arrested on January 9, 2025, in connection with an ongoing drug trafficking investigation by the Charles County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Enforcement Division.
The arrest followed a search warrant executed at McKinney’s residence on Oak Ridge Court, where authorities reportedly recovered a substantial amount of illegal drugs, firearms, stolen property, and other evidence linked to criminal activity.
According to the statement of probable cause, the search began early in the morning, with the Charles County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Services Team entering the home. McKinney was present at the residence and taken into custody. Upon searching his bedroom, detectives discovered a Glock .45 caliber handgun on the bed, loaded with 13 rounds of ammunition. On his dresser, officers found a tied bag containing approximately 9.5 grams of suspected cocaine, which McKinney allegedly admitted was his. A Ziploc bag containing an estimated 49 grams of crack cocaine was found floating in the toilet, which McKinney reportedly acknowledged, stating he “should have flushed it.”
During an interview with detectives, McKinney admitted to owning the recovered handgun and drugs. He described his drug use, stating he sprinkles crack cocaine on marijuana and smokes it. However, he denied selling drugs, despite the absence of any drug paraphernalia typically associated with personal use, such as pipes or foil. Officers also recovered additional quantities of crack cocaine shaped like a “cookie,” a form consistent with drug manufacturing, and drug packaging materials, including unused plastic bags and digital scales bearing scratch marks—evidence, officers noted, that is often linked to drug distribution.
In addition to narcotics, investigators recovered stolen property, including a 2016 Cadillac CTS reported stolen in Alexandria, Virginia, and a Honda dirt bike reported stolen in La Plata. The Cadillac, valued at $62,000, was parked outside the home. Inside, officers found $9,215 in cash, which McKinney claimed was from an insurance payout. However, the vehicle showed signs of forced entry, with broken glass inside and an uncut key fob used to start the car—features consistent with stolen vehicles, detectives stated. The dirt bike, valued at $6,000, was located in a shed on the property.
Detectives also seized high-capacity drum magazines for firearms and a shotgun from a closet in the home. McKinney is prohibited from possessing firearms due to previous convictions in 2017 and 2022 for handgun-related offenses in Charles County. Maryland State Police confirmed his status as a disqualified individual.
McKinney faces a range of charges, including theft of property valued between $1,500 and $100,000, possession with intent to distribute narcotics, possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime, and illegal possession of firearms and ammunition. Additional charges include the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony and possession of high-capacity magazines.
Court records show that McKinney was initially held without bond but was later released on January 11, 2025, under electronic monitoring following a bond review hearing before Judge Kenneth A. Talley. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for February 7, 2025, at the Charles District Court.
According to the criminal complaint, McKinney is charged with the following:
Theft: $1,500 to under $25,000 and $25,000 to under $100,000
Controlled Dangerous Substances (CDS) Distribution with a Firearm
Possession with Intent to Distribute Narcotics
Use of an Assault Weapon or Magazine in a Felony
Illegal Possession of Ammunition
Firearm and Shotgun Possession by a Disqualified Individual
Illegal Possession of a Regulated Firearm
Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Felony
Possession of a Firearm During Drug Trafficking
Demetrius Antoine McKinney, 32, of Newburg
