Monthly Archives: December 2024

UPDATE: Avenue Man Put Whiskey in Holy Water to ‘Blind Satan’: Charged in Christmas Church Disturbances

UPDATE: Avenue Man Put Whiskey in Holy Water to ‘Blind Satan’: Charged in Christmas Church Disturbances

UPDATE 12/27/2024: Police in St. Mary’s County have charged Thomas Campbell Bowling Von-Goetz, 56, of Avenue, in connection with two incidents at local churches during the Christmas holiday. Court documents describe a series of disruptive and threatening actions that allegedly endangered parishioners and interrupted religious services at Holy Angels Church and St. Francis Xavier Church....
Read More »

UPDATE: Suspect and Officers Identified in Fatal Officer Involved Shooting in Charles County

UPDATE: Suspect and Officers Identified in Fatal Officer Involved Shooting in Charles County

UPDATE 12/26/2024: The Independent Investigations Division (IID) of the Maryland Office of the Attorney General has identified the decedent and the Charles County Sheriff’s Office deputies involved in the fatal police-involved shooting that occurred on Friday, December 20, 2024, in White Plains, Charles County, Maryland. The decedent has been identified as 30-year-old Jordan Proctor...
Read More »

Calvert County Sheriff’s Office Welcomes Four New Deputies

Calvert County Sheriff’s Office Welcomes Four New Deputies

On December 20, 2024, Sheriff Ricky Cox and the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office welcomed four new deputies following the final inspection and graduation exercises from the Southern Maryland Criminal Justice Academy (SMCJA) Police Entrance Level Training Program Session 54 at Chopticon High School in Morganza, MD. The deputies were among a total of 17...
Read More »

Lusby Man Sentenced to 15-Years for Possession of Child Pornography

Lusby Man Sentenced to 15-Years for Possession of Child Pornography

On December 20, 2024, Henry Joseph Rupinski, 53, of Lusby, was sentenced in Calvert County Circuit Court to 15 years, with 18 months of active time, for possession of child pornography. Upon release Rupinski will be on 5 years supervised probation and will be required to register as a sex offender for life, forfeit...
Read More »

Former Finance Manager of Historic Sotterley Charged with Embezzlement of $15,000

Former Finance Manager of Historic Sotterley Charged with Embezzlement of $15,000

Angela Marie Hanson, 52, of California, Maryland, has been indicted on charges of embezzlement and theft following allegations of financial misconduct during her tenure as Finance Manager for Historic Sotterley, Inc. According to court documents, Hanson is accused of stealing nearly $15,000 over a five-month period from October 31, 2023, to April 15, 2024....
Read More »

Newburg Man Charged with Assault, Reckless Endangerment in School Bus Incident

Newburg Man Charged with Assault, Reckless Endangerment in School Bus Incident

Richard William Ellis, 47, of Newburg, is facing 51 criminal charges, including 16 counts of first-degree assault, after allegedly pointing a firearm at a school bus in an incident on September 20, 2024. The Charles Circuit Court issued an arrest warrant for Ellis on December 20, 2024, and he is currently being held without...
Read More »

La Plata Police Ensure a Merry Christmas by Catching the Grinch

La Plata Police Ensure a Merry Christmas by Catching the Grinch

Officers reported that they took a mischievous man into custody who calls himself the Grinch. This Whoville troublemaker was up to no good, but don’t worry—he won’t be causing any more trouble this holiday season. With the Grinch behind bars, Santa Claus can deliver presents to all the boys and girls without any interruptions....
Read More »

VIDEO: Spreading Holiday Cheer: A Grateful Message from the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office

VIDEO: Spreading Holiday Cheer: A Grateful Message from the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office

This holiday season, the Southern Maryland News Net would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the incredible community of St. Mary’s County and the dedicated men and women of the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office. They put together a video featuring a few of the many voices of community leaders, businesses, and residents...
Read More »

As Jackpot Surpasses $1 Billion, Maryland Players Win Mega Millions Prizes

As Jackpot Surpasses $1 Billion, Maryland Players Win Mega Millions Prizes

With the Mega Millions jackpot going over one billion dollars this week, player attention is focused on the multi-state jackpot games, resulting in five Mega Millions wins of $10,000 or more across Maryland in the past week, and two big Powerball wins, one for $150,000 in Dunkirk and one for $50,000 in Perry Hall....
Read More »

UPDATE: DETAILS RELEASED After Bryans Road Woman Arrested for Abduction of 8-Year-Old Boy

UPDATE: DETAILS RELEASED After Bryans Road Woman Arrested for Abduction of 8-Year-Old Boy

On December 19, 2024, Krystal Ninette Clay, age 64, of Indian Head, Maryland, was arrested in Charles County on charges of abducting a child under the age of 12. According to court documents, officers responded at approximately 8:59 a.m. to a welfare check in Bryans Road. A witness reported seeing a white Chevrolet Malibu...
Read More »

Prince Frederick Man Charged with Assault After Spitting in Officer’s Eye and Face at Detention Center

Prince Frederick Man Charged with Assault After Spitting in Officer’s Eye and Face at Detention Center

Alan Douglas Oberlander, 49, of Prince Frederick, faces a charge of second-degree assault following an incident at the Calvert County Detention Center on December 14, 2024. According to court documents, at approximately 12:56 a.m. at the detention center on Stafford Road, Calvert County Correctional DFC Kelly responded to the report of a disorderly inmate,...
Read More »

Prince Frederick Man Arrested for Identity Fraud to Avoid Child Support Warrants in Calvert County

Prince Frederick Man Arrested for Identity Fraud to Avoid Child Support Warrants in Calvert County

A routine traffic stop on December 9, 2024, in Calvert County led to the arrest of Dontray Joseph Creek, 30, of Prince Frederick, after authorities discovered he had used another person’s identity to avoid identification and outstanding child support warrants. According to court documents, Deputy Deinert of the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office stopped a...
Read More »

UPDATE: Waldorf Man Sentenced to 104 Years in Prison for Arson Resulting in Death of Woman and Her 18-Month-Old Daughter

UPDATE: Waldorf Man Sentenced to 104 Years in Prison for Arson Resulting in Death of Woman and Her 18-Month-Old Daughter

UPDATE 12/24/2024: Tony Covington, State’s Attorney for Charles County, announced that on Thursday, December 19, 2024, Charles County Circuit Court Judge H. James West sentenced Vincent Anthony Fisher, II, 49, to 104 years in prison for two counts of First-Degree Arson and the Second-Degree Murders of Rashawn Cline and Dashawn Cline. Fisher was found...
Read More »

State Police Arrest Driver for DUI, Three Others Face Drug and Weapon Charges in Lexington Park

State Police Arrest Driver for DUI, Three Others Face Drug and Weapon Charges in Lexington Park

On December 22, 2024, a routine welfare check at a gas station in Lexington Park led to the arrests of four individuals on charges ranging from drug possession to providing false information to law enforcement. Senior Trooper Oyler and Trooper Abdel Wahab of the Maryland State Police, Leonardtown Barrack, were dispatched to the Shell...
Read More »

St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Investigates Death Following Unreported Vehicle Crash in Bushwood

St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Investigates Death Following Unreported Vehicle Crash in Bushwood

Deputies from the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office (SMCSO) are investigating a death preliminarily linked to an unreported traffic collision. On Sunday, December 22, 2024, at approximately 2:15 a.m., deputies and Emergency Medical Services responded to a residence in the 21000 block of Montfort Road in Bushwood for a report of an unresponsive individual....
Read More »

January 2025 Events at the Calvert Marine Museum

January 2025 Events at the Calvert Marine Museum

Kick off the New Year with an exciting lineup of events at the Calvert Marine Museum! Get your tickets for the first Maritime Performance Series concert of the season, and don’t miss a special day of celebration honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The museum is also thrilled to announce the 2025 themes for...
Read More »

Creative Grief Support Programs for Children, Teens, and Their Families

Creative Grief Support Programs for Children, Teens, and Their Families

Chesapeake Life Center has more than 30 years of experience using fun and friendship to help grieving children find a path to healing. Here is what is planned for children and teens this winter: Stepping Stones Grief Support Group for ages 6 to 18 – This group is for children and teens who have...
Read More »

Maryland Hunters Harvest 30,833 Deer during Two-Week Firearms Season

Maryland Hunters Harvest 30,833 Deer during Two-Week Firearms Season

Maryland hunters reported harvesting 30,833 deer during the two-week firearm season from Nov. 30 through Dec. 14. The firearms season harvest was almost 9% higher than last year’s official count of 28,312 deer. “The two week firearm season continues to be our most popular deer season,” Wildlife and Heritage Service Director Karina Stonesifer said. “We’d like to thank...
Read More »

Traffic Stop in Lexington Park Leads to Drug Arrests and Felony Charges

Traffic Stop in Lexington Park Leads to Drug Arrests and Felony Charges

On December 19, 2024, a traffic stop in Lexington Park resulted in the arrests of two individuals, Zuri Kali Harrison, 22, of Great Mills, and Cindi Lynn Sweeney, 45, of Lexington Park. Both were arrested after a search of the vehicle revealed multiple controlled dangerous substances (CDS) and related paraphernalia. According to the St....
Read More »

Sports Wagering Contributes $11.8 Million to the State During November 2024

Sports Wagering Contributes $11.8 Million to the State During November 2024

Maryland’s sports wagering market generated $11,798,035 in contributions to the state during November 2024, the largest single-month total the program has produced since its launch in December 2021. Sports wagering contributions to the state are directed to the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future Fund, which supports public education programs. The largest previous single-month contribution was...
Read More »

$50,000 Powerball Win Changes Waldorf Woman’s Dinner Plans

$50,000 Powerball Win Changes Waldorf Woman’s Dinner Plans

A Charles County woman told Lottery officials a story that began with her sitting down at a restaurant to order dinner from a waiter and ended with her eating the food hours later at home. What interrupted her meal? Why, it was Powerball! It seems that discovering that one has won $50,000 can just...
Read More »

Happy Charles County Mom Gets Early Christmas with $50,000 Scratch-Off Win

Happy Charles County Mom Gets Early Christmas with $50,000 Scratch-Off Win

Southern Maryland player plans to use scratch-off prize to pay bills, enjoy the holidays A Southern Maryland woman sprang into action after discovering she was the first $50,000 top-prize winner on the new Cash to Go scratch-off. The loyal player said she was “moonwalking” with excitement after she discovered her big win. “I couldn’t...
Read More »

Nanjemoy Man Indicted for False Bomb Threat at St. Mary’s County Walmart

Nanjemoy Man Indicted for False Bomb Threat at St. Mary’s County Walmart

Demetrius Demell Carroll, 30, of Nanjemoy, has been indicted by a St. Mary’s County Grand Jury on charges stemming from a false bomb threat made at the Walmart located on Miramar Way in California, Maryland. The indictment, issued on December 16, 2024, accuses Carroll of transmitting false information concerning the detonation of a destructive...
Read More »

UPDATE: St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Commended as Record-Setting Drug Case Advances to Circuit Court

UPDATE: St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Commended as Record-Setting Drug Case Advances to Circuit Court

UPDATE 12/19/2024: The case involving Antwian Marquis Johnson, 38, of Prince Frederick, and Shannon Marie Johnson, 37, of Great Mills, has officially moved forward in the legal system, now advancing to the Circuit Court for St. Mary’s County, Maryland. This development follows their arrests on December 5, 2024, and the subsequent indictment on numerous...
Read More »

St. Mary’s County Felon Indicted on Illegal Firearms and Ammunition Possession Charges in Dameron

St. Mary’s County Felon Indicted on Illegal Firearms and Ammunition Possession Charges in Dameron

Bruce Bernard Franks, Jr., 32, of Dameron, is facing legal trouble after being indicted on multiple charges related to illegal firearms and ammunition possession. The indictment stems from an extensive investigation conducted by the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)....
Read More »