On August 4, 2024, the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office discontinued providing the citizens of Southern Maryland and media with its weekly “Notable Arrests/DUIs/Summonses/Warrants” list. We at SMNEWSNET.COM find this decision deeply disappointing. In an era when transparency should be the cornerstone of all law enforcement agencies, taking steps backward in sharing public information...
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On October 8, 2024, Saint Mary’s County Commissioners held a joint meeting with the county’s delegation to the Maryland General Assembly. The meeting aimed to discuss key legislative proposals for 2025 and foster continued collaboration between county officials and state lawmakers. Attended by Senator Jack Bailey and Delegates Todd and Matt Morgan, the session...
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Keanu Destine Grissett, age 23, of Waldorf, is facing charges of first- and second-degree assault after an alleged domestic altercation on September 26, 2024. According to the Charles County Sheriff’s Office, officers responded to a distress call at Amber Leaf Apartments in Waldorf, where they encountered a female victim who reported being physically assaulted...
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UPDATE 10/3/2024: Tony Covington, State’s Attorney for Charles County, announced that on Wednesday, September 25, 2024, a Charles County jury, after a 3-day trial, convicted Katravien Tyrieus Vercher, 25, of Waldorf, of five counts of Sexual Abuse of a Minor and one count of Third-Degree Sexual Offense. On March 22, 2023, officers with the...
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Ashley Renee Harvey, 30, of Lexington Park, is facing charges of theft and trespassing after two incidents at Weis Markets on Great Mills Road, in Lexington Park, in September 2024. According to court documents, Harvey stole seafood valued at $146.96 across two visits to the store between September 18 and September 25, 2024. According...
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Join in congratulating Deputy Casey Hill on being named Calvert County Sheriff’s Office Deputy of the Quarter. Deputy Hill has displayed exceptional dedication, professionalism, and a proactive commitment to both law enforcement and community service. His meticulous casework and attention to detail set a high standard for thorough and effective policing. Beyond his operational...
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As news of a major port strike across the U.S. hits the headlines, people are panic-buying toilet paper, flooding social media with reports of empty shelves at their local stores. While this scenario feels eerily similar to the shortages we saw during the pandemic, there’s an important fact to understand: There’s no actual shortage...
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Gallery Exhibit Entitled ‘NEW’: Works by Jerry Truong, Coy Gu, Andrew Wodzianski, and George Bedell. See gallery art created by the College of Southern Maryland (CSM) faculty through Oct. 18 at the Tony Hungerford Memorial Art Gallery located at the La Plata Campus. CSM’s Studio Art Professors exhibit their latest creations, resulting in a group...
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Since the beginning of the 2024-2025 academic school year, the Prince George’s County Police Department’s Homeland Security Division has investigated 47 school-related threats. Investigators have charged 10 students in connection with these cases. The 10 students who are facing criminal charges are between the ages of 13-16 years old. Detectives also identified four additional...
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Arlon Charles Menchion, 61, of Lexington Park, has been charged with theft following an incident at a Walmart in California, Maryland, where he stole items worth approximately $354. According to the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office, the incident occurred on August 23, 2024. Court documents detail that Menchion was observed placing the following items...
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Sergio D. Flores-Trujillo, 27, of Lexington Park, has been arrested and charged with multiple counts of burglary and theft after two separate incidents in St. Mary’s County. Flores-Trujillo is facing serious charges, including first-degree burglary, theft, and possession of drug paraphernalia, following reports of break-ins on September 26 and September 28, 2024. The first...
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On Sept. 29, leaders from the Southern Maryland National Heritage Area and the Baltimore National Heritage Area were joined by Secretary Flora, the executive directors of the national heritage areas and Historic St. Mary’s City, and representatives from the offices of Sen. Ben Cardin, Sen. Chris Van Hollen, and Rep. Steny Hoyer, to give...
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Maryland State Police will join faith-based organizations and law enforcement agencies across the state to celebrate National Faith & Blue Weekend, set for October 11-14, 2024. National Faith & Blue is a collaborative initiative that builds bridges and breaks down biases through activities and outreach amongst law enforcement professionals and the communities they serve....
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UPDATE 10/2/2024: Deputies from the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office responded to the Detention and Rehabilitation Center in Leonardtown on Monday, Sept. 30, following a report of a concealed makeshift weapon found inside a cell. Upon investigation, deputies recovered a wooden knife, and incarcerated individual Demetrius Rashud Puifory, 46, was arrested and charged with...
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The Justice Department announced today that it is awarding $4 billion to support public safety and community justice activities in the states and territories and in local and Tribal communities. The grants, from the Department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP), will fund efforts across the country to reduce violence, expand services for crime victims and...
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New York, NY, Warrington, PA, and Lexington Park, MD – September 26, 2024 – CM Equity Partners (“CMEP”), a private investment firm providing growth capital to the Federal services industry, announced that it has acquired Sabre Systems, Inc. (“Sabre”) from its founder and majority owner. Mr. Jamie Norris is the newly appointed President of...
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The St. Mary’s County Metropolitan Commission (MetCom) has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Potomac River Fisheries Commission (PRFC) reflecting the commitment of both organizations to collaboratively promote and enhance the health of local ecosystems, including the Potomac and Patuxent Rivers, the Chesapeake Bay and their respective tributaries. Oyster revitalization provides...
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Award-winning author Nnedi Okorafor, whose work on the Marvel Black Panther comic book series garnered international acclaim, is coming to Southern Maryland. Okorafor will take part in a moderated discussion from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on October 11 at Leonardtown High School. The event is free and open to the public, but registration...
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St. Mary’s County Government (SMCG) is announcing changes to bow hunting access on county-leased acreage at the Elms Beach property. Effective immediately, hunting is no longer permitted on the 85 acres of land leased by St. Mary’s County from the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), located at 19350 Back Door Road in Lexington Park,...
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On Thursday, September 26, 2024, at approximately 9:53 p.m., police, firefighters and emergency medical services responded to the area of Chancellor Run Road and Pegg Road for the reported motor vehicle collision involving a motorcycle. Crews arrived on the scene to find single motorcycle into the rear end of Subaru with the operator of...
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The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), a part of the Department of Justice, has announced a public hearing regarding a significant change in how marijuana is classified under federal law. The proposal seeks to reschedule marijuana from a Schedule I to a Schedule III substance under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). This move, which has...
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The Calvert County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) recently recognized Hannah Neel, an outstanding animal control officer from the Department of Public Safety, as the August 2024 Employee of the Month. Known for her dedication, quick thinking, and compassion, Hannah has made a significant impact on both the department and the community. Earlier this...
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On September 28, 2024, Sadiyah Mone Vaughan, 27, of Great Mills, was arrested and charged with second-degree child abuse and second-degree assault after an altercation with her 11-year-old daughter. According to court documents, the incident occurred at their apartment on Foxchase Drive and was reported as a domestic disturbance. St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s deputies...
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A Lexington Park woman is facing second-degree assault charges following an altercation with an IHOP employee earlier this month. According to court documents, Sabrina Lynn Mawson, 39, of Lexington Park, allegedly assaulted a female employee during a dispute over a meal at the restaurant located on First Colony Blvd in California. The incident took...
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Deputies from the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office responded to an animal cruelty complaint at approximately 8:09 a.m. on Saturday, September 28, 2024, at the intersection of northbound Route 5 and Route 242 in Morganza. A caller reported seeing an individual in a silver SUV, possibly a Toyota, throwing several kittens—eight or nine—from the...
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