Richard Lester Maples, 62, of Mechanicsville
Richard Lester Maples, 62, of Mechanicsville, was formally charged with nine criminal offenses following a traffic stop and drug investigation conducted on July 18, 2025, according to court documents filed in the District Court for St. Mary’s County.
Maples is charged with four counts of possession of a controlled dangerous substance not cannabis, specifically crack cocaine, three counts of possession of drug paraphernalia, one count of altering physical evidence, and one count of littering or dumping less than 100 pounds from a vehicle. He also received four traffic citations for operating a vehicle without a license, on a suspended license, and on a revoked license.
According to the statement of probable cause filed by Deputy Senatore of the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office, the arrest occurred after the deputy observed a silver Toyota Tacoma traveling southbound on Three Notch Road near Old Village Road in Mechanicsville. Deputy Senatore reported that he “knew the defendant, Richard Lester Maples, to commonly be the operator of” the vehicle and was also aware that Maples had “two outstanding warrants for his arrest.”
Deputy Senatore immediately approached the driver’s side and “contacted the defendant, Richard Lester Maples, where he was advised to place his hands in the air.” The passenger was also detained. A search of the yard at the location where the bag was thrown revealed “two plastic baggies lying in the front yard,” one of which “contained a white rock-like substance” identified by the deputy as suspected crack cocaine.
The second baggie contained “an additional 2.3 grams of crack cocaine.” Approximately ten feet away, the deputy recovered a “glass smoking device containing white powdery residue,” which he also identified as suspected cocaine.
Deputies conducted a search of the vehicle and found it was displaying a Maryland registration, which the deputy stated “is the incorrect registration for this vehicle.” The correct registration was suspended, and the vehicle was reportedly uninsured. A second glass smoking device containing cocaine residue was found in the vehicle’s center console. A black digital scale with cocaine residue was located in the rear passenger compartment.
Deputy Senatore stated, “All of the above items were recovered in close proximity to the shoulder of the road. No other items were located after thorough search of the area.” He added, “It is also clear that the items were thrown from the vehicle by the defendant to avoid being prosecuted for possessing them.”
The front seat passenger, identified in court documents as Heather Erin Six, was read her Miranda rights and she waived them. She then stated, “Maples threw the recovered items from the passenger side window.” According to the report, Maples was also read his Miranda rights but “wished not to speak with officers”.
A license check confirmed that Maples was operating the vehicle with a suspended and revoked driver’s license. His identity was verified by comparison with a Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration photograph.
Maples was taken into custody and later released the same day on a $3,000 unsecured personal bond. He is being represented by the St. Mary’s County Public Defender’s Office. A trial is scheduled for September 2, 2025, at the St. Mary’s District Court.
Prior to his most recent arrest, Richard Lester Maples had two other criminal cases filed earlier this year in St. Mary’s County.
On April 18, 2025, Maples was charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance not cannabis—specifically crack cocaine—and possession of drug paraphernalia after a traffic stop in Lexington Park.
According to court documents, deputies recovered glass smoking devices and approximately 1.2 grams of suspected crack cocaine from Maples’ vehicle and his person during the search. The incident also involved a co-defendant who was found with additional suspected crack cocaine and paraphernalia concealed in a purse.
Earlier that year, Maples was also charged in a separate case with three theft-related offenses following an investigation into stolen property from a job site in Leonardtown.
On February 14, 2025, authorities alleged that Maples, along with another unidentified individual, stole an electric fuel pump valued at $959, four batteries worth approximately $800 total, and around 50 gallons of diesel fuel from heavy equipment. Surveillance images reportedly captured Maples at the scene with a gray Toyota Tacoma, and a public safety analyst matched his likeness to images recovered from a trail camera at the site.
