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A 34-year-old Waldorf man, who was charged with the murder of a 26-year-old Lexington Park woman, took a plea deal just days before his scheduled trial in Charles County Circuit Court on Dec. 4.

On Feb. 4, three men, Anthony D’Angelo Wilkins, Charles Leon Thompson Jr., both 34, of Waldorf and an unidentified man, were allegedly involved in an armed robbery and the murder of the woman at a Waldorf bar. Thompson entered into a plea deal on Monday.

Wilkins and Thompson were charged with first-degree murder, attempted first- and second-degree murder, armed robbery, robbery, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, first-degree assault, several charges of use of a firearm to commit a violent crime and other related charges.

On Feb. 4 at 1:25 a.m., officers responded to a bar, Beer 4 U, located at 2177 Crain Highway in Waldorf for the report of a shooting.

Upon arrival, officers located two people with gunshot wounds. Miaquita Gray, 26, of Lexington Park had a gunshot wound to the upper body; she was transported to a nearby hospital where she was pronounced deceased. A 24-year-old male was grazed in the leg during the shooting, according to the Charles County Sheriff’s Office.

A preliminary investigation revealed there had been an altercation inside the bar prior to the shooting, during which a male friend of Gray was assaulted. Shortly after the altercation, the man went outside to talk with Gray, who had just left. Wilkins and Thompson, who had been allegedly involved in the earlier assault, were in the parking lot when Wilkins reportedly pulled a gun and fired multiple rounds, striking Gray and wounding another man, according to police.

In the plea deal, Thompson pled guilty to two of the 26 original counts he was charged with: armed robbery and the use of a firearm to commit a violent crime. Both of these charges have a maximum sentence of 20 years incarceration.

Thompson’s attorney, Michael Beach, told the court that he was pleading guilty “under the theory that he was an accomplice” to the armed robbery of the victim inside the Waldorf bar.

Charles County Assistant State’s Attorney John Stackhouse summarized the evidence that would have been given if Thompson had agreed to a trial.

Stackhouse told the court that the victim who was robbed inside the bathroom of Beer 4 U would have testified, telling the court that he was hit over the head with a handgun before being robbed of cash and a credit card. He would have also testified that after he pointed out the three men who robbed him in the parking lot, Wilkins pointed a gun at him and fired shots, which hit Gray, ultimately killing her, according to Stackhouse.

He also said that he would have shown the jury a surveillance video of that night, which shows the men going into the bathroom just before the victim entered, as well as Wilkins carrying a handgun after Gray and others were shot.

Lastly, Stackhouse told the court that he had evidence that the victim’s blood was found on Thompson’s shoes and jacket that he was wearing the night of the incident.

Beach added that within the surveillance video, Thompson comes out of the bathroom first, which Beach said “put him the furthest away” from the robbery that took place in the bathroom.

He also told the court that Wilkins firing a gun outside the bar was a separate incident, and that there was a “two minute altercation” before the shots were fired, which Beach said was what caused Wilkins to pull out his gun.

“Thompson had no idea he was going to do that,” Beach said.

Thompson said that he agreed that the state had enough evidence to convict him of the crimes charged and officially pled guilty to armed robbery and use of a firearm to commit a violent crime in front of the court, as well as many friends and family members of Gray.

In a prior court hearing in March, Thompson’s bail was set at $50,000, which Stackhouse said he was unable to make. Stackhouse requested that Thompson be held without bond, which Judge H. Jay West granted.

West scheduled Thompson’s sentencing for Feb. 28.

According to the state’s attorney’s office, Wilkins is currently incarcerated in Virginia.

Originially Posted on The Maryland Independent:

http://www.somdnews.com/independent/crime_and_courts/waldorf-man-charged-with-murder-takes-plea-deal/article_de8828db-292e-5150-8c3f-ad786653ee59.html

State’s Attorney Tony Covington commenting on the case said, “Great job Assistant State’s Attorney Sarah Freeman. She had to try this case 3 times! She kept the faith that justice would eventually prevail. And thanks to her indefatigable efforts, it finally did. Also, my thanks to the victim and her family for their patience and determination to see this through to the end. It wasn’t easy to speak out about the horrific abuse suffered at the hands of this defendant. Nor was it easy to endure almost 2 years of court proceedings. Much admiration for this courageous young woman. Remember, less than 20% of sexual assaults are reported. If you, or someone you know, is suffering in silence, there is help. For information, please call our Victim Witness Assistance Unit at 301-932-3360.”
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La Plata, MD – After two previous mistrials, a Charles County jury has found a New Carrolton man guilty of child sexual abuse.

Donald McCoy Stancell, 39, was convicted after a two day trial in which the jurors were presented with testimony from the victim, her mother and several expert witnesses.

Charles County State’s Attorney Sarah Freeman called the victim to the stand and the now 19 year old told jurors about sexual abuse she suffered for nearly three years from her step-father. She told the jury the abuse started when she was around 14 years old but she didn’t report it until November of 2015 when she was 17 years old.

The victim testified that Stancell would barter with her in exchange for sexual favors, including the purchase of clothes and make-up as well as the use of her cell phone. She told the court the two had sex in several places in their Waldorf home, as well as in his vehicle.

The abuse came to light when the victim, a student at McDonough High School, was questioned about bruising on her leg. She told a counselor at the school it was caused by Stancell. She later admitted he did not cause the bruising but he had been sexually abusing her.

After the sex abuse was reported, the victim was taken to Charles County Regional Medical Center where she underwent a physical examination by a forensic nurse.

Charles County police searched the victim’s home to collect evidence, including underwear the victim had been wearing two days earlier when Stancell forced her to have sex with him in exchange for phone privileges.

When detectives interviewed the victim, she also described several scars on or near Stancell’s genital area and the jury was shown those scars. Freeman said to the jury, “no child should have that knowledge of scars on her step-father’s genital region.”

The victim’s mother, who is now divorced from Stancell, also testified during the trial and admitted to having problems with her daughter, including several attempts to run away from home, getting high and threats of suicide. She told the court her husband said to her on the phone, “he should have known better, he was the adult.” During cross-examination Stancell’s defense attorney, Thomas Mooney, questioned whether that was an admission of guilt.

During day two of the trial, evidence was presented by Julie Kempton, a forensic scientist at the Maryland State Police crime lab. She testified that she tested the underwear that was collected at the victim’s house and found both female and male DNA. Kempton also testified that the sample tested matched Stancell’s DNA profile and the evidence was consistent with a man who has had a vasectomy, which Stancell is confirmed to have had. The DNA profile concluded that Stancell could not be excluded from results.

The only two other males in the household with the same male DNA were the victim’s younger brothers who were just seven and nine years old when the investigation was taking place.

The jury took less than 15 minutes to deliberate the case before returning the guilty verdict. Stancell was taken into custody and is scheduled for sentencing on Feb. 20, 2018.

Stancell is scheduled to stand trial on Feb. 26, 2018 on seven counts of possession of child pornography.

Originally posted on The Baynet:

http://www.thebaynet.com/articles/1117/newcarroltonmanfoundguiltyofchildsexabuse.html