Press Releases

State v. Jason Shawn Smoot, Jr., C-08-CR-25-000627

LA PLATA, MD—Tony Covington, State’s Attorney for Charles County, announced that on Thursday, June 4, 2026, Charles County Circuit Court Judge H. James West sentenced Jason Shawn Smoot, Jr., 20, to 6 years in prison for Robbery. Upon release, Smoot will be on supervised probation for a period of five years. If he violates the terms of his probation, he faces an additional 6 years in prison.

On April 10, 2026, Smoot pleaded guilty to the aforementioned charge.

On September 29, 2025, officers with Charles County Sheriff’s Office responded to the 300 block of Forest Lane in La Plata for the report of an armed robbery. Upon arrival, officers made contact with the victim, who reported that he arranged to sell his PlayStation 5 and accompanying controllers through Facebook Marketplace. The victim was contacted by an individual using a profile later determined to belong to Smoot and agreed to meet for the transaction.

Smoot instructed the victim to go to Palmetto Court in La Plata. When the victim arrived with the PlayStation 5, which was stored in an Under Armour backpack, Smoot grabbed the backpack and brandished a weapon. Fearing for his safety, the victim surrendered his property.

Investigators obtained surveillance footage from a nearby residence that captured the suspect wearing a dark blue hooded sweatshirt, black gym-style shorts, and Jordan Nike shoes, which was consistent with the victim’s description.

Through the course of the investigation, Smoot was identified as a suspect and detectives observed Smoot wearing similar clothes as the suspect of the robbery. He was subsequently apprehended and charged in connection with the robbery.

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State v. Anthony Dangelo Wilkins, K17-241

LA PLATA, MD—Tony Covington, State’s Attorney for Charles County, announced that on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, Charles County Circuit Court Judge Monise A. Stephenson, following an eight-day jury trial, declared a mistrial in the case against Anthony Dangelo Wilkins regarding the charges of Second-Degree Murder in the death of Miaquita Gray and the Attempted Second-Degree Murder of another victim after the jury was unable to reach a unanimous verdict on those charges and several related offenses.

However, the jury did convict Wilkins of 3 counts of Reckless Endangerment, as well as the Wear, Carry, and Transport of a Handgun Upon Their Person and Possession of a Firearm with a Prior Felony Conviction.  Based on these convictions, Wilkins faces up to thirty-three years in prison.

Wilkins was previously convicted of the Second-Degree Murder and Attempted Second-Degree Murder charges, as well as the three counts of Reckless Endangerment and the Firearm charges by a separate Charles County jury on July 27, 2021. That conviction was later overturned on appeal after an appellate court determined that too much information relating to the defendant’s possession of the murder weapon eight days later during his arrest in Emporia, Virginia was admitted as evidence during the trial.

Evidence presented during both trials revealed that officers responded to the Beer 4 U Bar located in the 2100 block of Crain Highway in Waldorf for a report of a shooting. Upon arrival, officers discovered several victims suffering from various injuries, including Victim 1, who sustained head injuries from an earlier assault, and Miaquita Gray, who suffered a gunshot wound to the upper body. Gray was later pronounced deceased as a result of her injuries. 

A preliminary investigation revealed that a few moments prior to the shooting, Victim 1 was physically assaulted and robbed by three male suspects in the bathroom of Beer 4 U. After the assault, Victim 1 and his girlfriend, Gray, exited the bar and stood in the parking lot of the establishment. The suspects exited the establishment prior to Gray and Victim 1 leaving the bar.  Victim 1 recognized the three male suspects and pointed them out.  One of the suspects, alleged to be Wilkins, brandished a gun and began firing at Victim 1 and Gray, fatally striking Gray. Two other victims were struck but did not sustain life-threatening injuries. 

A further investigation revealed Wilkins as the shooter and identified co-defendant Charles Leon Thompson, Jr. as an accomplice to the shooting and the armed robbery in the bathroom. 

On December 4, 2017, Thompson pleaded guilty to his role in the incident and was later sentenced to 40 years in prison.

Based on the mistrial, the State will be proceeding on the remaining charges.  A new trial date for Wilkins has been scheduled for December 14, 2026, to address these charges.  A sentencing date for the convicted offenses has not yet been set.

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State v. Scott Anthony Goldsmith, C-08-CR-23-000832

LA PLATA, MD— Tony Covington, State’s Attorney for Charles County, announced that on Thursday, May 14, 2026, Charles County Circuit Court Judge H. James West sentenced Scott Anthony Goldsmith, 55, to 48 years in prison for the Second-Degree Murder of Timothy Louis Portzen and the First-Degree Assault of a second victim.

On March 9, 2026, a Charles County jury found Goldsmith guilty of the aforementioned charges.

On October 3, 2023, officers with Charles County Sheriff’s Office responded to a Waldorf residence for the report of a stabbing. Upon arrival, officers made contact with the surviving victim, who reported that she had been stabbed in the neck and had a visible wound extending from her right shoulder to her back. The victim was flown to a hospital for treatment and, thankfully, survived her injuries.

Officers also located victim Timothy Louis Portzen in a bedroom suffering from multiple stab wounds to the chest. Emergency Medical Services attempted lifesaving measures, but Portzen was pronounced deceased at the scene.

An investigation revealed that during the early morning hours of October 3, 2023, Goldsmith arrived at the victims’ residence and was greeted by the surviving victim. Goldsmith demanded to see the victim’s boyfriend, who was not at the residence, and Portzen. Goldsmith pushed past the victim and stabbed her in the neck. Goldsmith then proceeded to Portzen’s bedroom, where he stabbed Portzen nine times. The surviving victim retreated to her bedroom and heard the sound of a struggle before Goldsmith left the residence.

Goldsmith was later apprehended, and while incarcerated, admitted to the murder. He also admitted to discarding the knife that was used during the attack. Investigators additionally discovered the victim’s blood on a tire that Goldsmith had punctured following the murder.

During sentencing, Assistant State’s Attorney Kate Edmands, told the judge “The facts of this case warrants an above guideline sentence” and asked the judge to hold Goldsmith accountable for the acts against the victims.

Before sentencing Goldsmith to 48 years in prison, the Honorable Judge West said, “[The victim] wasn’t looking for any trouble with Goldsmith. This is really a tragic way to go. He probably, when he walked into the house that day, thought he was safe. He didn’t deserve to die.”

Sentencing

Count 1 – Second-Degree Murder

30 years

Count 4 – First-Degree Assault

18 years, consecutive to Count 1

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State v. Tristan Thigpen, C-08-CR-21-000195

LA PLATA, MD—Tony Covington, State’s Attorney for Charles County, announced that on Thursday, April 2, 2026, Charles County Circuit Court Judge H. James West sentenced Tristan Thigpen, 40, to 18 years in prison for the Sexual Abuse of a Minor.

On January 16, 2026, a Charles County jury convicted Thigpen of the aforementioned charge.

On February 3, 2021, a detective with the Charles County Sheriff’s Office received a Child Protective Services Intake report from Prince George’s County. The report indicated an open investigation into allegations of sexual abuse occurring in Prince George’s County. During that investigation, the juvenile victim disclosed additional incidents of sexual abuse that occurred in Charles County.

A further investigation revealed that the juvenile and his family lived at a Waldorf residence from late 2015 through the end of 2016. During that time, Thigpen was one of the victim’s caregivers and had known the victim for several years.

Initially, Thigpen had physical contact with the victim that included massages on his shoulders and arms, tickling, and play-fighting. However, the physical touch escalated to Thigpen touching the victim’s genitals while alone with him, including at his Waldorf residence.

In December 2020, the victim disclosed the abuse to a family member. A police report was subsequently filed.

During sentencing, Assistant State’s Attorney Ed Stickles told the judge, “When determining a sentence, one of the factors that the court considers is rehabilitation.  The defendant takes no accountability for these crimes, and without that there can be no rehabilitation. The vicious and heinous nature of the defendant’s conduct is the reason to go above sentencing guidelines.”.

Before sentencing him to 18 years in prison, the Honorable Judge H. James West told Thigpen, “The level of harm in this case is excessive and goes beyond the victim. In this world, you should leave children better off after being with you and that didn’t happen here.  The verdict should have meaning, and the sentence should reflect that.”

State v. Corey Daniel Claggett, C-08-CR-25-000527

LA PLATA, MD— Tony Covington, State’s Attorney for Charles County, announced that on Thursday, March 19, 2026, Charles County Circuit Court Judge Monise A. Stephenson sentenced Corey Daniel Claggett, 46, of Waldorf, to 12 years in prison for Possession With Intent to Distribute Cocaine, Illegal Possession of a Regulated Firearm after being Convicted of a Crime of Violence, and a violation of probation stemming from a separate Possession With Intent to Distribute Fentanyl conviction.

On September 4, 2025, members of the Charles County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Services Team, Charles County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Enforcement Section, and Charles County Sheriff’s Office Neighborhood Enforcement Team executed search and seizure warrants at two residences associated with Claggett.

During the execution of the warrants, law enforcement recovered multiple controlled dangerous substances in quantities consistent with distribution, including Cocaine. Digital scale equipment commonly used for the weighing and packaging of narcotics were also discovered, as well as firearms and ammunition.

Claggett was found inside the master bedroom of one of the residences and took ownership of the items located within the home.

Claggett was prohibited from possessing firearms due to a prior Second-Degree Murder conviction in 1998, as well as a separate Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl conviction in 2024.

The total estimated street value of the recovered controlled dangerous substances was approximately $10,940.00.

Sentencing

C-08-CR-25-000527

• Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine: 12 years in prison
• Illegal Possession of a Firearm: 5 years concurrent to the Possession Charge

C-08-CR-23-000061

• Violation of Probation for Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl: 12 years in prison concurrent to other charges

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State v. Amar Julio Barrera, C-08-CR-25-000591

LA PLATA, MD— Tony Covington, State’s Attorney for Charles County, announced that on Friday, March 20, 2026, a Charles County jury, after a 5-day trial, found Amar Julio Barrera, 44, guilty of Home Invasion, Kidnapping, and related charges.

On September 25, 2025, officers with Charles County Sheriff’s Office responded to the University of Maryland Charles Regional Medical Center for a reported assault. Upon arrival, officers made contact with the victim in the emergency room lobby. The victim had visible facial injuries and reported that he had been assaulted and kidnapped at his residence on September 23, 2025.

An investigation revealed that during the evening hours of September 23, 2025, the victim was inside his residence when Barrera and three other co-defendants – one of whom was a relative of the victim – entered the house. The victim was physically assaulted by two of the male co-defendants and attempted to defend himself. During the assault, Barrera tased the victim leaving him incapacitated. The co-defendants then dragged the victim from the home, bound his wrists and ankles, and placed him in the back seat of a white Ford F-150 driven by Barrera.

The victim was transported to his relative’s house in Clinton, where he was restrained and beaten by the two male co-defendants. Barrera and the two males threatened to kill the victim and his family if he attempted to leave. On September 25, 2025, the victim was picked up by another relative and brought back to Charles County. The victim’s mother then took him to the hospital for treatment of his injuries.

Text message exchanges showed that Barrera planned the home invasion and kidnapping. He coordinated the attack with the victim’s relative, who was also his girlfriend, and his two other co-defendants, believing the victim had taken his property.

A sentencing date for Barrera has been set for May 21, 2026, at 1 p.m. He faces 85 years in prison.

Guilty

• Home Invasion
• Kidnapping
• Conspiracy to Commit Home Invasion
• Conspiracy to Commit Kidnapping
• Conspiracy to Commit First-Degree Assault

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State v. Scott Anthony Goldsmith, C-08-CR-23-000832

LA PLATA, MD— Tony Covington, State’s Attorney for Charles County, announced that on Monday, March 9, 2026, a Charles County jury found Scott Anthony Goldsmith, 55, guilty of the Second-Degree Murder of Timothy Louis Portzen and the First-Degree Assault of a second victim.

On October 3, 2023, officers with Charles County Sheriff’s Office responded to a Waldorf residence for the report of a stabbing. Upon arrival, officers made contact with the surviving victim, who reported that she had been stabbed in the neck and had a visible wound extending from her right shoulder to her back. The victim was flown to a hospital for treatment and, thankfully, survived her injuries.

Officers also located victim Timothy Louis Portzen in a bedroom suffering from multiple stab wounds to the chest. Emergency Medical Services attempted lifesaving measures, but Portzen was pronounced deceased at the scene.

An investigation revealed that during the early morning hours of October 3, 2023, Goldsmith arrived at the victims’ residence and was greeted by the surviving victim. Goldsmith demanded to see the victim’s boyfriend, who was not at the residence, and Portzen. Goldsmith pushed past the victim and stabbed her in the neck. Goldsmith then proceeded to Portzen’s bedroom, where he stabbed Portzen nine times. The surviving victim retreated to her bedroom and heard the sound of a struggle before Goldsmith left the residence.

Goldsmith was later apprehended, and while incarcerated, admitted to the murder. He also admitted to discarding the knife that was used during the attack. Investigators additionally discovered the victim’s blood on a tire that Goldsmith had punctured following the murder.

A sentencing date has been scheduled for May 14, 2026. Goldsmith faces 65 years in prison.

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State v. Bryce Caleb Timothy Brown, C-08-CR-23-000505

LA PLATA, MD— Tony Covington, State’s Attorney for Charles County, announced that on Monday, March 2, 2026, Charles County Circuit Court Judge William R. Greer, Jr. sentenced Bryce Caleb Timothy Brown, 22, of Waldorf, to 40 years in prison for the Second-Degree Murder of Gloristine Pinkney, as well as Theft: $25,000 to under $100,000, Fourth-Degree Burglary, and Theft: $1,500 to Under $25,000. Upon release, Brown will be on supervised probation for a period of five years. If he violates the terms of his probation, he faces an additional 18 years in prison.

A Charles County jury found Brown guilty of the above-listed charges on December 16, 2025.

On July 2, 2023, officers with Charles County Sheriff’s Office responded to the report of a burglary in progress at the Lowe’s store in Waldorf. Upon arrival, officers spoke with store employees and managers working the overnight shift who reported hearing loud banging noises. Officers also observed damage to the store’s roll-up doors and security gates.

Officers then responded to a nearby Home Depot, where employees reported hearing a loud scream. At that location, officers discovered the body of victim Pinkney partially pinned beneath a forklift. Pinkney was declared deceased at the scene.

An investigation revealed that Brown, who was employed by Lowe’s at the time, stole a forklift from the fenced in rear lot of the store and rammed it through the business’ rear gates and roll-up door. Brown then drove the forklift out of the Lowe’s and into the parking lot of Home Depot, where he rammed it into a parked car. The victim, who was unknown to Brown and had been asleep in the vehicle, exited the car and attempted to flee. However, Brown followed her and struck her with the forklift, running her over.

After the incident, Brown fled the scene in the victim’s car. He used her credit card to purchase gas and traveled to Washington, D.C. and Virginia before returning to his Waldorf residence, where he was later apprehended.

During the course of the investigation, Brown was developed as the suspect through witnesses and surveillance video. The rear gate used to enter the Lowe’s was processed and swabbed for DNA, which was consistent with Brown’s DNA. Additionally, Brown’s fingerprints were found on the victim’s vehicle, and the vehicle’s keys were located inside of Brown’s residence along with a pair of shorts that had the victim’s blood on it.

At sentencing, Assistant State’s Attorney Jonathan Beattie, asking for a 50-year sentence, stated that what happened was “a tragic loss of life in the most horrendous way possible.”

Before sentencing him to 40 years in prison, the Honorable Judge Greer told Brown, “This is a terrible situation; it affects your family and Ms. Pinkney’s family. Your family will get to see you and talk to you, but Ms. Pinkney’s family will not. It’s sad all the way around.” He furthered, “it’s clear there was a mental health issue, but it’s not clear that what happened was a result of that. I can’t overlook how horrendous that action was.”

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LA PLATA, MD—Tony Covington, State’s Attorney for Charles County, advises that on February 19, 2026, the Maryland State Police filed with the District Court of Maryland Commissioner applications for statement of charges against Brandon Angelo Williams, age 50, and his wife, Rosa Iyonna Williams, age 48, both of Waldorf, in connection with alleged criminal conduct related to Heaven Bound Cremation Services, LLC.

The commissioner issued 8 separate counts for each defendant, with each count alleging the Improper Disposal of Human Remains. Seven of the counts refer to seven different fetuses and one count pertains to the remains of an approximately two-month-old infant.

In conjunction with this matter, the Commissioner issued arrest warrants for each defendant. Court dates will be scheduled once the defendants have been taken into custody and appear before the Court.

The charges against Brandon Angelo Williams and Rosa Iyonna Williams are allegations, and they are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

State v. Tristan Thigpen, C-08-CR-21-000195

LA PLATA, MD—Tony Covington, State’s Attorney for Charles County, announced that on Friday, January 16, 2026, a Charles County jury, after a 5-day trial, convicted Tristan Thigpen, 40, of Sexual Abuse a Minor.

On February 3, 2021, a detective with the Charles County Sheriff’s Office received a Child Protect Services Intake report from Prince George’s County. The report indicated an open investigation into allegations of sexual abuse occurring in Prince George’s County. During that investigation, the juvenile victim disclosed additional incidents of sexual abuse that occurred in Charles County.

A further investigation revealed that the juvenile and his family lived at a Waldorf residence from late 2015 through the end of 2016. During that time, Thigpen was one of the victim’s caregivers and had known the victim for several years.

Initially, Thigpen had physical contact with the victim that included massages on his shoulders and arms, tickling, and play-fighting. However, the physical touch escalated to Thigpen touching the victim’s genitals while alone with him, including at his Waldorf residence.

In December 2020, the victim disclosed the abuse to a family member. A police report was subsequently filed.

A sentencing date has been set for April 2, 2026. Thigpen faces 25 years in prison.

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