In The News - Page 34 of 38

Kandes April 28, 2017 No Comments

St. Charles High School National Honor Society Induction Ceremony

On April 20, 2017, State’s Attorney Tony Covington was honored to speak at St. Charles High School National Honor Society Induction Ceremony. Congratulations to all of the students who have been inducted into the National Honors Society! Continue to exemplify the four pillars: scholarship, character, leadership, and service. Keep up the great work! Read more

Kandes April 27, 2017 No Comments

State v. Terelle Shawan Carroll, K16-577

LA PLATA, MD—Tony Covington, State’s Attorney for Charles County, announced that on Wednesday, April 26, 2017, Charles County Circuit Court Judge H. James West sentenced Terelle Shawan Carroll, 17 of Nanjemoy, to 7 years for Conspiracy Theft Scheme $1,000-$10,000, 7 years for Theft $1,000-$10,000, 3 years for Rogue and Vagabond, and 5 years each for 4 separate counts of First Degree Burglary. All sentences will run concurrent to each other for a total of 7 years active time.

On December 9, 2015, officers conducting a search and seizure warrant at Carroll’s residence recovered two Apple iPods that were reported stolen from a motor vehicle. A separate search and seizure warrant was conducted to monitor the movements of a vehicle linked to a string of burglaries and thefts in Nanjemoy and surrounding areas. An investigation revealed that over a three month timespan, September 2015 through November 2015, Carroll was involved in several burglaries and theft from motor vehicles in Nanjemoy and surrounding areas, leading up to a burglary and sexual assault in Nanjemoy occurring on December 29, 2015 by Carroll.

Carroll was apprehended by officers on March 3, 2016 after he was positively linked by DNA to the sexual assault occurring on December 29, 2015. Carroll is currently serving a 27 year sentence for the First Degree Sex Offense charge resulting from that case. Carroll’s Burglary and Thefts sentences will run consecutively to the 27 year sentence he is currently serving.

Kandes April 19, 2017 No Comments

State v. Jaime Antonio Rivera, K16-1002

LA PLATA, MD—Tony Covington, State’s Attorney for Charles County announced that on Tuesday, April 18, 2017, Jaime Antonio Rivera, 27 of La Plata, entered an Alford Plea to the Sexual Offense in the Third Degree of Rosa Rosales.

On March 16, 2010, officers responded to the 12000 block of Country Lane in Waldorf for an unknown trouble call. On the scene, officers discovered the female victim who then reported being sexually assaulted by several males that evening. An investigation revealed that during the evening hours of March 15, 2010, the victim was offered a ride home from a nightclub in Northern Virginia by a male she met at the establishment. Upon entering the vehicle, the victim noticed several males also occupying the vehicle. The victim was subsequently taken to an unwanted location and brought into the downstairs area of a house with several other men. During a span of time, the victim was repeatedly threatened and sexually assaulted by various men. She was eventually able to escape that night and found refuge at a neighboring house, in which the resident called the police.

A sexual assault nurse examination was performed on the victim and evidence was collected and sent to the Maryland State Police Forensic Lab for analysis. However, Rivera was not identified until his DNA was collected and examined for a different sexual assault and rape charge. During the analysis process for the unrelated case, Rivera’s DNA was found to match the DNA recovered from Rosales’ examination.

Visiting Prince George’s County Circuit Court Judge Erik H. Nyce sentenced Rivera to 7 years, to run concurrent with a life plus 25 years sentence he received for a case involving the rape of a household member.

Kandes April 17, 2017 No Comments

“Speak Up, Speak Out! Event”

Assistant State’s Attorney Sarah Freeman discussing the importance of speaking out against sexual assault and resources available to victims at the College of Southern Maryland’s Diversity Insitute’s, in partnership with Center for Abused Persons, “Speak Up, Speak Out!” event on Thursday, April 13, 2017.

Kandes April 11, 2017 No Comments

State v. Jaime Antonio Rivera, K16-664

Tony Covington, State’s Attorney for Charles County announced that on April 6, 2017, visiting Prince George’s County Circuit Court Judge Erik H. Nyce sentenced Jaime Antonio Rivera, 27 of La Plata, to life plus 25 years in prison for first degree rape and child sexual abuse.

During the week of June 6, 2016, the victim, who was under 13 years of age, told friends at school that she was being sexually assaulted by Jaime Rivera. Her friends subsequently reported the allegation to a school counselor, who notified the Charles County Sheriff’s Office and the Department of Social Services. The victim was immediately taken to Charles County Regional Medical Center for a forensic exam, where it was revealed that she suffered physical traumatic injuries consistent with sexual assault.

An investigation revealed that over a four year period, the defendant repeatedly sexually assaulted the victim, oftentimes by threatening to use or actually displaying a knife. The last sexual assault occurred a few days before she revealed the crimes to her friends.

Investigators recovered an article of the victims clothing. That clothing was submitted to the Maryland State Police Crime Lab for DNA analysis. That analysis revealed that there were body fluids found on the clothing and further analysis determined that the body fluids were that of the defendant.

At sentencing, Assistant State’s Attorney, Sarah Freeman told the judge that, “This particular case is extremely volatile and heinous; the victim has permanent physical and emotional scarring but her 8 year old sister also is permanently scarred, emotionally. Rape, should never happen let alone of an 11 year old, but to do so by waking up another child and having her move to the top bunk and subject her to the cries of the victim for the Defendant to stop, is unthinkable.“

Judge Nyce told Rivera during sentencing, “I presided over this case alongside Judge Greer. I do find that you are a sexually violent predator. Dr. Grant (the psychologist and forensic evaluator for Charles County) found that due to the heinous nature of this matter, you are at a higher risk for recidivism. The level of harm in this case was excessive. We are dealing with extreme mental and physical damage to a child who was in the comfort of her own home. I think about her vulnerability. Because of all of these factors, I believe it is appropriate to depart from the sentencing guidelines”.

Rivera has a separate case still pending in which he allegedly participated in a gang rape in 2010. That case is set for April 24, 2017.