Press Releases

State v. James Mark Kimble, C-08-CR-24-000103

LA PLATA, MD—Tony Covington, State’s Attorney for Charles County, announced that on Tuesday, June 10, 2025, Charles County Circuit Court Judge Makeba Gibbs sentenced James Mark Kimble, 39, of Mechanicsville, to 15 years in prison for First-Degree Assault and the Wear and Carry of a Dangerous Weapon with the Intent to Injure.

Upon release, Kimble will be on supervised probation for a period of five years. If he violates the terms of his probation, he faces an additional five years in prison.

On April 29, 2025, a Charles County jury convicted Kimble of the aforementioned charges.

On December 27, 2023, officers made contact with the victim at University of Maryland Charles Regional Medical Center in La Plata. The victim reported that he was stabbed by the suspect, later determined to be Kimble, after the victim dropped off a mutual acquaintance at Cooksey Store in La Plata. The victim was able to drive himself to the emergency room, where he received treatment for serious injuries.

An investigation revealed that a mutual acquaintance contacted the victim during the evening hours of December 27th and requested that the victim give her a ride to her parents’ house, to which the victim agreed. During the ride, the acquaintance requested to be brought to a different location, which prompted a verbal argument between her and the victim. The acquaintance contacted Kimble while still in the victim’s vehicle. The victim agreed to drop off the acquaintance at Cooksey Store. When the acquaintance got out of the vehicle, Kimble entered the passenger side of the victim’s vehicle and began stabbing the victim multiple times. As the victim began driving off to flee, Kimble exited his vehicle. Kimble then left with the mutual acquaintance.

Kimble later admitted to using phencyclidine (PCP), marijuana, and alcohol before the incident.
During sentencing, Assistant State’s Attorney Jerome Linkins, requesting a 20-year prison sentence, told the judge that Kimble “has a history of drinking and a history of violence.” He furthered that Kimble “commits crimes of selfishness and recklessness against other people. There’s no excuse for this behavior. Absolutely none. Not only has [Kimble] done multiple acts of selfishness, but he’s also affected this person’s life for no reason. – The victim’s life has completely changed.”

 
Sentence

Count 1
• First-Degree Assault
• 20 years with all but 15 years suspended

Count 3
• Wear and Carry of a Dangerous Weapon with the Intent to Injure
• 3 years
• Concurrent to Count 1

Five years of supervised probation

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State v. Thoraz Xavier Smallwood, C-08-CR-23-000855

LA PLATA, MD—Tony Covington, State’s Attorney for Charles County, announced that on Wednesday, June 4, 2025, Charles County Circuit Court Judge Makeba Gibbs sentenced Thoraz Xavier Smallwood, 39, of Waldorf, to 15 years in prison for the Sexual Abuse of a Minor and Second-Degree Assault.

Smallwood will be on supervised probation for five years upon release and is required to register as a lifetime Tier III Sex Offender. If Smallwood violates the terms of his probation, he faces an additional 20 years in prison.

On January 13, 2025, Smallwood entered a guilty plea to the above-mentioned charges.

On June 6, 2023, a detective with the Charles County Sheriff’s Office spoke with the juvenile victim regarding the abuse. The victim reported that she was sexually assaulted by Smallwood on numerous occasions.

An investigation revealed that Smallwood was introduced to the victim when she was 7 or 8 years old and became like a father figure to her. Smallwood began grooming the victim and ultimately shared a residence with her. When the victim was 14 years old, Smallwood started engaging in sexual intercourse and other sexual acts with her. The abuse happened repeatedly over the course of a year at multiple locations in Charles County.

The victim reported the abuse to her mother, who then contacted the police.

During sentencing, Assistant State’s Attorney Jonathan Beattie, requesting a 25-year sentence, called Smallwood’s grooming of the victim “abhorrent.” He stated this was a “relationship that [Smallwood] changes, perverts, and uses to take advantage of the victim. – There is no greater injury that you can place on a child than to take on a [father-figure] role and ruin it for them.”

Before sentencing Smallwood, the Honorable Judge Gibbs stated that Smallwood was “a very dangerous person” and that the “harm was beyond extreme.” She furthered that he left “a path of destruction not only for the victim herself but also her family.”

Sentence

Count 1
• Sex Abuse of a Minor
• 25 years suspend all but 15 years

Count 9
• Second-Degree Assault
• 10 Years all suspended
• Consecutive to Count 1

5 Years of Supervised Probation

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State v. Jeremiah Terrell Bryant, C-08-CR-24-000146

LA PLATA, MD—Tony Covington, State’s Attorney for Charles County, announced that on Thursday, May 29, 2025, Charles County Circuit Court Judge William Greer, Jr. sentenced Jeremiah Terrell Bryant, 26, to 9 years in prison for Armed Robbery, Use of a Firearm During the Commission of a Crime of Violence, and related charges. The first 5 years are without the possibility of parole. Upon release, Bryant will be on supervised probation for a period of five years.

On August 2, 2024, a Charles County jury convicted Bryant of the above-listed charges following a 5-day trial.

On January 9, 2024, detectives with Charles County Sheriff’s Office responded to the Sunoco Gas Mart in Waldorf for the report of a commercial armed robbery. Detectives spoke with a store employee who reported that the suspect, later determined to be Bryant, pointed a semi-automatic handgun at him, then took money from the store’s cash register as well as the employee’s phone.

An investigation revealed that Bryant entered the store, approached the sales counter, and handed the employee a brown plastic bag while simultaneously pointing a handgun at him. Bryant demanded that the employee put money in the bag. When the employee opened the cash register, Bryant reached over the counter and took $494.00. He then left with the cash and the employee’s cell phone but left the plastic bag at the store.

Surveillance video captured the incident, as well as Bryant arriving and leaving in a Mitsubishi Outlander with a broken passenger side mirror. Detectives later located the Mitsubishi Outlander outside of Bryant’s mother’s residence.

The plastic bag Bryant left on the scene was processed and the fingerprints recovered belonged to Bryant. Cell site analysis of Bryant’s cell phone also placed him at the scene of the Armed Robbery.

At sentencing, Assistant State’s Attorney John Stackhouse called the robbery “brazen” and stated it “victimize[ed] not only that particular cashier but also impacts the business itself,” other businesses within Charles County, and “the whole community.”

 
Sentence

Count 1
• Armed Robbery
o 20 years with all but 5 years suspended

Count 2
• Use of a Firearm During the Commission of a Crime of Violence
o 20 years with all but 5 years suspended
o Consecutive to Count 1

Count 7
• Illegal Possession of a Regulated Firearm
o 5 years with all suspended
o Consecutive to previous counts

Count 11
• Conspiracy to Commit Armed Robbery
o 20 years with all suspended
o Consecutive to previous counts

5 years of supervised probation

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State v. Richard William Ellis, C-08-CR-24-000749

LA PLATA, MD—Tony Covington, State’s Attorney for Charles County, announced that on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, Charles County Circuit Court Judge Makeba Gibbs sentenced Richard William Ellis, 48, of Newburg, to 5 years in prison with all but 142 days suspended for 19 counts of Second-Degree Assault. Ellis had already served 142 days in custody prior to sentencing and received credit for time served. As a part of his sentence, Ellis is currently on supervised probation for five years and was ordered to remove all firearms from his residence.

On April 3, 2025, Ellis pleaded guilty to the aforementioned charges.

On September 23, 2024, officers interviewed several juvenile victims who reported that an individual, identified as Ellis, pulled out a handgun and pointed it toward the rear of the school bus.

An investigation revealed that the incident occurred on September 20, 2024, as a school bus transporting students from Piccowaxen Middle School was dropping off a juvenile relative of Ellis near Waverly Point Road in Newburg. At drop-off, another student on the bus made an insulting remark toward Ellis’ relative.

In response, Ellis pointed a handgun toward the bus and began walking toward the bus in an aggressive manner. The bus, which was fully occupied at the time of the incident, was able to leave the area safely, and no physical injuries were reported. Officers responded to Ellis’ house and recovered a handgun that fit the description that the victims provided.

On December 23, 2024, Ellis was apprehended.

During sentencing, Assistant State’s Attorney Charmayne Clark, asking for a higher sentence, stated that Ellis “terrorized a bus full of children.”

Assistant State’s Attorney John Stackhouse furthered that “He is the adult and to do that to a bunch of kids on a bus – it is so wrong. That was a really bad thing to do.”

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State v. Elijah Bernard Barnes, C-08-CR-23-000078

LA PLATA, MD—Tony Covington, State’s Attorney for Charles County, announced that on Monday, May 12, 2025, Charles County Circuit Court Judge Monise A. Stephenson sentenced Elijah Bernard Barnes, 20, of Waldorf, to 45 years in prison for the Second-Degree Murder of Rajon Lateef Jackson, III, as well as related charges.

On March 7, 2025, a Charles County jury convicted Barnes of the aforementioned charges.

On January 13, 2023, officers responded to Harvest Fish Place in Waldorf for the report of a shooting. When officers arrived, they located the 17-year-old victim on the street suffering from four gunshot wounds to his face and neck. The victim, identified as Rajon Lateef Jackson, III, was transported to the hospital; however, he, unfortunately, succumbed to his injuries.

A witness at the scene reported to officers that Jackson had exited his school bus and was walking toward his residence. The suspect, later identified as Barnes, called Jackson over to his vehicle. Jackson began making his way to the car when Barnes shot him four times. Barnes then fled the scene. During the shooting, Barnes was seated in an older model silver Toyota Corolla with a missing hub cap on the front driver’s side.

Surveillance video from a nearby gas station shows the Toyota Corolla, with the missing side hub cap, entering the gas station and parking at a pump moments before the murder. The driver and only occupant, Barnes, entered the business and was captured on video surveillance.

Approximately three minutes after leaving the gas station, personally-owned surveillance cameras from the neighborhood captured the Toyota Corolla in the area of the shooting. Barnes matched the witness’ description of the shooter.

After the killing, investigators were able to identify Barnes, and a warrant was issued for his arrest. Barnes, who had fled the State after the murder, was located and arrested in Rocky Mount, North Carolina five days after the killing.

At sentencing, Assistant State’s Attorney John Stackhouse asked the judge for 65 years in prison. He told the judge that the victim “had a lot of people in his life that really cared about him. Rajon’s father moved Rajon here to Waldorf for a safer environment and that is just heartbreaking. A month before his murder, [Rajon] was told that he was going to be a dad. He’s never ever going to be able to meet his daughter. There is real generational trauma in this case – a little girl who will never know her dad, parents who lost a child, grandparents who lost a grandson.”

He furthered that the incident “traumatized the whole neighborhood. He is clearly a danger – executing someone in the middle of the day, when he gets off a school bus, steps away from his home. It just doesn’t get any worse than that.”

 
Sentence
Count 1
• Second-Degree Murder
• 40 years

Count 2
• Use of a Firearm During the Commission of a Crime of Violence
• 20 years with all but 5 years suspended
• Consecutive to Count 1

Count 3
• Possession of a Regulated Firearm Being Under 21
• 5 years with all suspended
• Consecutive to Counts 1 and 2

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LA PLATA, MD— Tony Covington, State’s Attorney for Charles County, advises that on Friday, April 25, 2025, the Grand Jury for Charles County returned an indictment for Keycy Barrera-Rosa, age 24, of Waldorf, for the murder of Lesbia Ramirez Guerra. The indictment charges Barrera-Rosa with First-Degree Murder, Second-Degree Murder, and Making a False Report.

On April 2, 2025, Barrera-Rosa contacted the Charles County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) to report that his girlfriend, Lesbia Ramirez Guerra, was missing from their Waldorf residence. During the investigation, detectives reviewed video surveillance showing the victim entering their residence on March 31, 2025, but never exiting.

Witnesses reported that during the early morning hours of April 1, 2025, Barrera-Rosa and the victim were in a violent argument.

During the afternoon of April 1, 2025, video surveillance captured Barrera-Rosa grabbing a large plastic bin from a shed in his backyard and carrying it to the back of the house. Barrera-Rosa then drove his truck to the back of the house.

Cellular tower data records indicate that Barrera-Rosa traveled to Prince George’s County to meet with his uncle, Rolvin Barrera-Barrera, at a construction worksite. Further records indicate that Barrera-Rosa and his uncle traveled to a secluded, densely wooded intersection in the area of Cedarville State Park.

Barrera-Barrera was interviewed by detectives and reported that on April 1, 2025, Barrera-Rosa told him that he had killed his girlfriend by strangulation and asked for help with hiding the body. He further stated that when Barrera-Rosa traveled to his work site in Prince George’s County, the victim was already deceased and in a plastic bin in the back of Barrera-Rosa’s vehicle. Barrera-Barrera told detectives that he and Barrera-Rosa disposed of the victim’s body by burying her in a wooded area near Cedarville State Park. On April 18, 2025, CCSO officers located Ramirez Guerra’s body in a plastic bin buried at a location described by Barrera-Barrera and in proximity to where phone records indicated Barrera-Rosa and his uncle parked their vehicles on April 1, 2025.

On April 5, 2025, Barrera-Rosa was arrested and detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for unrelated charges. On April 22, 2025, he was transported by ICE and turned over to the Charles County Sheriff’s Office. He is being held without bond at the Charles County Detention Center.

Barrera-Barrera has been charged as an Accessory After the Fact to Murder in Prince George’s County and is also being held without bond in that jurisdiction.

The charges against Barrera-Rosa are allegations and he is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

State v. Adam Marks, C-08-CR-24-000423

LA PLATA, MD—Tony Covington, State’s Attorney for Charles County, announced that on Wednesday, April 2, 2025, Charles County Circuit Court Judge H. James West sentenced Adam Marks, 37, to 5 years in prison for four counts of Soliciting Child Porn. Marks will also have to register as a Tier II Sex Offender.

On March 17, 2025, Marks entered a guilty plea to the above-mentioned charges.

On April 26, 2024, a detective with the Charles County Sheriff’s Office made contact with the juvenile victim at the Waldorf District Station. The victim reported that the suspect, later identified as Adam Marks, asked him on numerous occasions to send inappropriate pictures of himself.

An investigation revealed that the then 12-year-old victim joined a community chat room on a popular video game where Marks was soliciting children to reach out to him directly for friendship. In response, the victim sent Marks a private message within the game. Marks, under the guise of a female player, and the victim exchanged phone numbers. When the victim called Marks’ number, he heard a male voice, but Marks quickly hung up.

Marks then began texting the victim and asking him for inappropriate pictures on multiple occasions. The victim asked Marks to delete his number and not contact him anymore; however, Marks continued to send requests for inappropriate pictures and threatened the victim that he would give his number to other people to harass him if he did not comply.

The victim’s mother witnessed the victim acting suspiciously with his phone and upon questioning, the victim told his mother what was happening. The victim’s mother then contacted the police.
At sentencing, Assistant State’s Attorney Ed Stickles told the judge, “This act could have easily progressed, so the State has significant concerns about the protection of the community.”

Before sentencing Marks, the Honorable Judge West stated, “It is shameful that a mother has to be so worried about their children and their participation in kids’ games. What’s even worse is that her worry was correct.”

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State v. Renee Daytona Roberts, C-08-CR-24-000055

LA PLATA, MD—Tony Covington, State’s Attorney for Charles County, announced that on Thursday, March 27, 2025, Charles County Circuit Court Judge H. James West sentenced Renee Daytona Roberts, 45, to 15 years in prison for First-Degree Child Abuse: Severe Injury. Roberts will be on supervised probation for five years upon release.

On March 13, 2025, Roberts pled guilty to the aforementioned charge.

On January 8, 2024, officers with the Charles County Sheriff’s Office responded to a Patient First in Waldorf for the report of a child being assaulted. At the scene, officers observed an adult female, later identified as Renee Daytona Roberts, pinned down by bystanders on the asphalt. The juvenile victim, who was 7 years old at the time, was located safe in another bystander’s vehicle. The victim was transported by ambulance to a nearby hospital where it was discovered that she suffered two skull fractures and bleeding in the brain from the incident.

Roberts was combative with officers; however, she was apprehended at the scene of the incident.
An investigation revealed that Roberts picked the victim above her head and slammed her onto the concrete in the parking lot of Patient First. Bystanders witnessed the event and intervened, ultimately separating Roberts and the victim until officers arrived. During the course of the investigation, Roberts admitted to the abuse and stated it was because the victim could not remember a religious prayer in its entirety. The incident was also caught on surveillance video.

During sentencing, the Assistant State’s Attorney assigned to the case told the judge that the incident was “quite frankly unimaginable and quite shocking to see.” She furthered, “Certainly, there needs to be a heavy punishment for this and there needs to be protection of this child.”

Before sentencing Roberts, the Honorable Judge West stated, “The damage is tremendous. The level of sadness is tremendous. The video is shocking.”

Sentence
Count 1
• First-Degree Child Abuse: Severe Injury
o 25 Years with all but 15 years suspended

5 Years of Supervised Probation

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State v. Justin Michael Lachenmayer, C-08-CR-23-000692

LA PLATA, MD— Tony Covington, State’s Attorney for Charles County, announced that on Thursday, March 13, 2025, Charles County Circuit Court Judge H. James West sentenced Justin Michael Lachenmayher, 39, of Waldorf, to 10 years in prison for the Manslaughter and Second-Degree Assault of John Carl Lachenmayer. Lachenmayer will also be on supervised probation for five years upon release.

Lachenmayer entered a guilty plea to the aforementioned charges on March 10, 2025.

On September 8, 2023, officers from the Charles County Sheriff’s Office responded to a residence in Waldorf in reference to a domestic assault. Upon arrival, they located 71-year-old victim John Carl Lachenmayer on the floor with difficulty breathing. The victim told officers that his son, Justin Lachenmayer, punched him while he was sitting on the couch, pushed him to the ground, and then kicked his stomach. Emergency Medical Services also responded to the scene of the incident and observed multiple bruises on the victim’s body. The victim was transported to the hospital, where he, unfortunately, succumbed to his injuries.

Justin Lachenmayer was also present at the scene of the incident and admitted to the altercation with his father. An investigation revealed that the assault occurred during an argument between Lachenmayer and his father about Lachenmayer using his father’s credit card. After assaulting his father, Lachenmayer called 9-1-1 to report his father having trouble breathing. The victim suffered a lacerated spleen and internal bleeding.

At sentencing, Assistant State’s Attorney John Stackhouse told the judge, “This is how the [victim] ends his golden years, pushed to the floor, punched, and kicked in his stomach. It’s just tragic; just a sad situation.”

Before sentencing Lachenmayer, the Honorable Judge H. James West said, “This case is very unique. This doesn’t make any sense to me. The sad thing about being betrayed is it never comes from your enemies.” He furthered, “In his last days and months, he’s looking out for his son, who it appears, at least for a long time, hasn’t looked out for him – and that’s really, really sad. In the end, he was betrayed. It’s truly a tragic way to go at the hands of someone who should be looking out for you.”
 

Sentence

Count 1- Manslaughter
• 10 years

Count 3- Second-Degree Assault
• 10 years with all suspended
• Consecutive to Count 1

5 Years Supervised Probation

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State v. Elijah Bernard Barnes, C-08-CR-23-000078

LA PLATA, MD—Tony Covington, State’s Attorney for Charles County, announced that on Friday, March 7, 2025, a Charles County jury, after a 5-day trial, convicted Elijah Bernard Barnes, 20, of the Second-Degree Murder of Rajon Lateef Jackson, III, as well as related charges.  

On January 13, 2023, officers responded to Harvest Fish Place in Waldorf for the report of a shooting. When officers arrived, they located the 17-year-old victim on the street suffering from 4 gunshot wounds to his face and neck. The victim, identified as Rajon Lateef Jackson, III, was transported to the hospital; however, he, unfortunately, succumbed to his injuries.

A witness at the scene reported to officers that before the shooting, Jackson had exited his school bus and was walking toward his residence. The suspect, later identified as Barnes, called Jackson over to his vehicle. Jackson began making his way to the car when Barnes shot him four times before fleeing from the scene. During the shooting, Barnes was seated in an older model silver Toyota Corolla with a missing hub cap on the front driver’s side.

Surveillance video from a nearby gas station shows the Toyota Corolla, with the missing side hub cap, entering the gas station and parking at a pump moments before the murder. The driver and only occupant, Barnes, entered the business and was captured on video surveillance.

Approximately three minutes after leaving the gas station, personally-owned surveillance cameras from the neighborhood captured the Toyota Corolla in the area of the shooting.  Barnes matched the witness’ description of the shooter.

After the killing, investigators were able to identify Barnes, and a warrant was issued for his arrest.  Barnes, who had fled the State after the murder, was located and arrested in Rocky Mount, North Carolina 5 days after the killing.

A sentencing date has been scheduled for May 2, 2025. Barnes faces 68 years in prison.

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