Celsie Chanee Edwards, 33, of Washington, D.C., and Patrick Joseph Young Jr., 31, of Clinton, have been charged with misdemeanor theft of property valued at $100 to under $1,500 and theft scheme involving property valued at $100 to under $1,500 after police said they took merchandise from Dollar General stores in Hollywood and Mechanicsville on June 18, 2026.
Patrick Joseph Young Jr., 31, of Clinton
According to allegations filed in District Court for St. Mary’s County, Trooper Grace Herman of the Maryland State Police Leonardtown Barrack was dispatched around 8:30 p.m. to the Dollar General on Mervell Dean Road in Hollywood for a theft that had just occurred. An employee reported that a man and woman were leaving the parking lot in a black Hyundai Elantra with a Washington, D.C., registration and had turned onto Mervell Dean Road heading north.
A Dollar General employee told police she saw a man, later identified as Young, and a woman, later identified as Edwards, together inside the store. She reported that the man was wearing a black jacket, blue jeans and a black hat, while the woman was wearing black pants and had red hair. The employee said she saw the man holding a red-and-white bag with an unknown number of items and the woman holding a gold or tan bag with an unknown number of items before they left the store without paying at the register.
Police said the Hollywood store manager provided surveillance video. Trooper Herman wrote that the footage showed Young and Edwards entering the store with no items, getting a shopping cart and basket, moving through multiple aisles, taking items from shelves, placing items into bags, passing the checkout counter without paying and leaving the store.
Celsie Chanee Edwards, 33, of Washington, D.C.
While officers were gathering a description of the suspects, deputies with the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office saw the black Hyundai Elantra near the Dollar General on Old Village Road in Mechanicsville, according to the allegations. Police said Young and Edwards were seen leaving that store, with Young carrying a white trash can that appeared to be full of toiletry items and Edwards carrying a bright pink bag.
Police said the pair were found near the parked vehicle and began walking away from officers. A St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office sergeant went around the building to intercept them, gave commands for them to get on the ground, and both complied. They were detained while officers continued the investigation.
At the Mechanicsville Dollar General, an employee told police Young and Edwards had entered the store with no items in their possession. Moments later, the employee said Young was carrying a white trash can that appeared to be full of toiletry items, while Edwards was carrying a bright pink bag that also appeared to contain toiletry items. The employee told them to put the items down and leave, and police said they complied.
Police said an itemized list of stolen merchandise from the Hollywood and Mechanicsville stores showed a total value of $356.72. Young and Edwards were taken to the St. Mary’s County Detention Center on Baldridge Street in Leonardtown and charged.
Both defendants were released on $1,000 unsecured personal bonds after initial appearances on June 19, 2026. Edwards was ordered to appear in court and not engage in criminal activity while on pretrial release; Young received the same conditions.
