Dayvon Maurice West, 35, of Lexington Park
Dayvon Maurice West, 35, of Lexington Park, has been indicted on charges of theft of $1,500 to under $25,000 and misconduct in office after prosecutors alleged he stole cash from an incarcerated woman’s belongings while working as a correctional officer at the St. Mary’s County Detention and Rehabilitation Center.
West, who lives in Lexington Park, was charged by criminal summons after a grand jury returned the indictment. He is scheduled for an initial appearance on July 20, 2026, in St. Mary’s County Circuit Court. A booking photo was not available because West was indicted and had not been arrested or processed into a detention center.
According to the allegations, West was employed by the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office from March 2020 through July 2022, and then again beginning in May 2023. He primarily worked as a correctional officer at the detention center, where his duties included helping with the intake and booking process for newly incarcerated or detained individuals, searching them, and inventorying their belongings. When people arrived with money, correctional officers were responsible for counting and documenting it.
The investigation began in March 2026 after an incarcerated individual reported to detention center staff that cash was missing from her personal belongings when the property was returned following her incarceration. The St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division investigated the report in conjunction with the Office of the Maryland State Prosecutor.
Prosecutors allege the woman was arrested by a St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office deputy at about 8:15 p.m. on February 28, 2026, and was taken to the detention center with her belongings. Her purse allegedly contained an envelope with about $3,640 in cash when she arrived at the facility around 9:15 p.m.
West was on duty that night and was responsible for conducting booking-related inventory work. The indictment alleges that between about 10:19 p.m. and 10:21 p.m., West searched the woman’s purse and took the envelope containing the cash without her consent. His shift ended at about 11 p.m., and prosecutors allege the envelope was not returned before he left the facility.
Investigators also alleged that beginning at about 1:16 a.m. on March 1, 2026, West used his cell phone to search for bank locations. Later that day, prosecutors say he deposited $2,000 in cash into his Navy Federal Credit Union account using an ATM in St. Mary’s County. The indictment further alleges West made a $1,878.48 rent payment that same day and would not have had enough money in his account to make the payment without the cash deposit.
In a statement, Sheriff Steve Hall said, “Theft by any employee of this agency is a serious betrayal of public trust and will not be tolerated. Our badge does not shield anyone from accountability. When the evidence establishes probable cause that an employee has committed a crime, we will act decisively, support the criminal justice process, and hold that individual accountable under the law. While the actions of one dishearten, they do not diminish the honor with which the badge is worn by the hardworking men and women of our agency who work each day to honestly and faithfully serve our community.”
The St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office said its Office of Professional Responsibilities also opened an administrative investigation. West was suspended with pay and removed from the workplace while the criminal and administrative investigations were pending. After he was served with a felony charge, West stopped receiving pay in accordance with Maryland law.
Maryland State Prosecutor Charlton T. Howard III also addressed the case, saying, “Correctional officers are entrusted with significant authority and responsibility, including the duty to safeguard the property and rights of individuals in their custody. That trust is essential to the integrity of our criminal justice system. Our office will continue to work to ensure those who abuse their positions of trust are held accountable for their actions.”
The Office of the Maryland State Prosecutor thanked the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office for its assistance in the investigation.
