Latest news with #FrederickCountySheriff'sOffice
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
VSP issues CODI alert for 15-year-old girl in Frederick County last seen Memorial Day
FREDERICK COUNTY, Va. () — Virginia State Police (VSP) issued a CODI alert Tuesday for a 15-year-old girl who disappeared in Frederick County on Memorial Day. State police said Paige Elizabeth Littman, 15, was last seen around 11:30 p.m. on May 26, in the 100 block of Ward Avenue in Winchester. DC community frustrated over recent deadly shootings The Frederick County Sheriff's Office said she may have left the area on foot or in a vehicle. Authorities described Paige as around 5 feet and 4 inches with strawberry blonde hair and hazel eyes. A description of her clothing is currently unknown. VSP noted that Paige's disappearance poses a credible threat to her health and safety. Anyone who sees her is asked to call the Frederick County Sheriff's Office at 540-662-6162 immediately. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Yahoo
New Market police pursuit ends in multiple crashes, four arrested, deputies say
FREDERICK COUNTY, Md. () — Four suspects from Washington, D.C., are facing multiple charges after a police chase ended in multiple crashes over the weekend, the Frederick County Sheriff's Office (FCSO) detailed. Just before 3:30 a.m. on May 25, an FCSO deputy tried to stop several people suspected of tampering with vehicles in the Jordan Boulevard area in New Market. The suspects fled in two cars, leading to a pursuit. One of the vehicles was a 2017 Subaru Outback, which had been stolen out of Carroll County. It crashed off Mussetter Road after striking a tree. The FCSO deputy in pursuit was also involved in a crash — the cruiser became disabled and the deputy sustained minor injuries. Stray bullet fatally strikes man inside Northwest DC apartment The second vehicle was a 2012 Toyota Camry. The suspects lost control of the car and struck a parked FCSO patrol vehicle with its emergency lights activated. The deputy had exited the vehicle moments before impact and was not hurt. The following men were arrested for their involvement in the pursuit and subsequent crashes: 18-year-old Deangelo Dubose was given 12 traffic citations and charged with resist/interfere with arrest, obstructing and hindering, malicious destruction of property over $1,000, motor vehicle theft and theft. 18-year-old Zaire Graves was given 14 traffic citations and charged with resist/interfere with arrest, obstructing and hindering, second-degree assault, motor vehicle theft and theft. 21-year-old Dayneil Bullock was given one traffic citation and charged with resist/interfere with arrest, obstructing and hindering, motor vehicle theft and theft. 18-year-old Darin Comer was given one traffic citation and charged with resist/interfere with arrest, obstructing and hindering, motor vehicle theft and theft. Anyone with additional information about the thefts, pursuits or crashes is encouraged to contact FCSO at (301) 600-1046. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Activist flouts decorum with protest at school board meeting
Shaun Porter, a confrontational activist, walked up to the Frederick County Board of Education dais at a meeting on Wednesday, turned around so that his butt faced them and pulled his shorts down, as part of a protest of recent board actions. As he addressed the board during a public comment period, Porter used vulgarities while expressing his disapproval for the school district's gender identity policy. School board member Janie Inglis Monier said in an interview on Thursday that Porter did not also pull his underwear down, and board members 'just saw his gray boxer briefs.' Porter said in an interview on Thursday that his goal was to draw attention to First Amendment rights regarding the district's gender identity policy, the removal of a school board candidate from a recent meeting and an investigation into a school board member's language from earlier this year. 'An outrageous First Amendment-protected demonstration of my artistic free expression was needed, and that is exactly what transpired last evening,' he said. Katie Robine, a spokesperson for the Frederick County Sheriff's Office, wrote in a text message on Thursday that the sheriff's deputy at the school board meeting did not take any action against Porter. She wrote that under current legal standards, 'exposing one's buttocks in public is not considered a criminal offense under state law.' 'However, exposing one's genitalia in public is against the law and can result in criminal charges,' Robine wrote. Heather Fletcher, a registered school board candidate for the 2026 election, at a May 7 board meeting, was removed by a Frederick County Sheriff's Office deputy for sitting at the dais and claiming to be an elected school board member. FCPS requested a trespass order against her because of the incident, but the order was lifted after one day by the Sheriff's Office because Fletcher did not have ongoing charges. At the school board meeting on Wednesday, Porter greeted the board members by calling them 'c---suckers' and 'carpet munchers.' Porter scolded school board members for the Title IX investigation into a comment that board member Colt Black made in January of this year regarding the gender identity policy for Frederick County Public Schools. Policy 443 was created to 'prevent discrimination, stigmatization, harassment, and bullying of students who are transgender or gender nonconforming' and to 'create school cultures that are safe, welcoming, and affirming for all students.' The policy compels students, staff members and teachers to use students' preferred names and pronouns, and allows students to use restrooms, changing facilities and be on sports teams that match their gender identity. This week, the board's Policy Committee said it is considering amending the policy to no longer compel the use of preferred pronouns. Referring to compelled speech, Black at a Jan. 8 school board meeting said about transgender and gender non-conforming students: 'Just as much as you have a right to be you, we have our right to be free from you.' FCPS received 32 Title IX Discrimination and Harassment complaints that alleged Black's comment violated the policy and law. But an independent investigation — which other board members said was necessary due to the volume of complaints — found that Black's comments from that meeting did not violate Title IX. At Wednesday's meeting, Porter said the independent investigation 'backfired' on the school board members. 'Why don't you just let us do whatever the hell we want, as long as we're not breaking the law?' he said. 'And stop telling us what to do.' Calling the school board 'stupid' and 'childish' for 'going after' Black, Porter said he was going to 'artistically' express his disapproval of the investigation and of Policy 443. 'It's real simple,' he said. 'I am not going to use they/them pronouns, and you can't make me.' 'I'm going to do something really stupid and childish, too,' he added while approaching the dais. Porter then pulled his shorts down in front of the school board members and Superintendent Cheryl Dyson. Black said in an interview on Thursday that he supports Porter's rights and anyone else's right to 'redress grievance with government under the First Amendment.' He said he laughed when Porter pulled his shorts down because he found Porter's freedom of expression 'rather amusing.' 'I found his particular antics humorous and within reason under the First Amendment,' Black said. 'I think it's wonderful that individuals have that right in our country.' School board Vice President Dean Rose said in an interview on Thursday that it was a 'shame' that students, parents and staff members were at the meeting to get work done. 'There are a few individuals who are only interested in how many clicks, likes, views and retweets they get on social media,' he said. 'It's just a distraction.' Rose said he supports First Amendment rights, but does not 'support the way they're going about it.' 'I think it's important that we continue, as board members, to talk about decorum,' he said. Porter said he splits his time between Frederick and Washington counties. The Herald-Mail in April reported that three Washington County employees filed for peace orders against Porter because of his use of profanity at Washington County Board of Commissioners meetings. A Washington County District Court judge ruled against the request for peace orders. Porter has also confronted Washington County Board of Education members in similar ways by speaking at their meetings. He said in the interview that 'everything I do is stupid, childish, and most people find it hilarious.' Porter said 'it doesn't get any dumber than' what he did at Wednesday's meeting. 'But if you get upset about it, I win,' he said.
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Yahoo
Frederick County traffic stop leads to major drug bust
FREDERICK COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now) — A man is facing multiple charges after a large quantity of drugs was found during a Friday traffic stop in Frederick County, according to the Frederick County Sheriff's Office (FCSO). The FCSO says deputies pulled over a white BMW X7 for speeding at 1:23 a.m. on Route 15 near the Interstate 70 interchange. According to the FCSO, a second deputy noticed the driver, Xerxus Rashad Belvin, 46, attempting to hide a large object wrapped in tape under the driver's seat when the other deputy returned to their patrol car. 14-year-old could be charged after loaded gun found at middle school, Prince George's County police say Deputies say they searched the car and found two packages of suspected heroin totaling nearly one kilogram, a five-gallon Ziploc bag containing three separate bags of suspected crack- cocaine totaling 519 grams, and over $3,000 in cash. Belvin is charged with two counts of possession of a controlled deadly substance- not marijuana, importing a controlled deadly substance into the state, possessing a large amount of a controlled deadly substance, and various traffic charges. According to deputies, Belvin was arrested and taken to the Frederick County Adult Detention Center. 'This major seizure of heroin and crack cocaine was a great example of proactive patrol work by the deputies, strong situational awareness during the traffic stop, and keen observation of the driver throughout,' said Sheriff Jenkins. 'This was textbook patrol work—from initiating the stop for the speed violation to locating the drugs inside the vehicle. Anyone with additional information is asked to call Deputy Gauer at (301) 600-1046. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Moore signs local bills aimed at safeguarding child victims, increasing housing stock
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) on Tuesday signed a tranche of bills with local sponsors, including two filed on behalf of Frederick County Executive Jessica Fitzwater. Sen. William Folden (R-4) and Del. Karen Simpson (D-3) cross-filed SB333 and HB442 to allow statements made by a child to a professional forensic interviewer to be read in court in exception to the rule against hearsay. The measure was part of Fitzwater's legislative package for the 2025 Maryland General Assembly session, which began on Jan. 8 and ended on April 7. Another bill, HB492, was first requested by Fitzwater (D) at a forum with the state delegation in December. That bill, sponsored by Simpson and co-sponsored by several other Frederick County delegation members, will authorize Frederick County government's human resources team to use fingerprint-supported background checks for certain prospective county employees or volunteers. Currently, the county government relies on the Frederick County Sheriff's Office to conduct criminal history checks for all prospective county employees and volunteers. However, that process takes six to eight weeks on average, leading to delays in hiring and onboarding, Fitzwater said. County spokesperson Vivian Laxton wrote in an email on Tuesday that the county's human resources division is 'looking forward to reassessing the level of screening that is appropriate for the County's various safety- and security-sensitive positions, which includes County employees who work with vulnerable populations.' Laxton said the change will not have to be approved by the Frederick County Council. Also signed into law on Tuesday was a bill sponsored by Del. Kris Fair (D-3) on behalf of the Housing Authority of the City of Frederick. HB1085 will exempt certain real property owned by nonprofit entities created by public housing authorities from state and local property taxes. Nonprofit entities created by public housing authorities would instead pay a fee in lieu of taxes. During a news conference recapping the 2025 legislative session on Monday, Fair said HB1085 will 'help expand the reach and ability for housing authorities across the state to build the necessary housing needed today.' Fair said the fee-in-lieu option for nonprofit entities created by public housing authorities was already available in three Maryland jurisdictions through a pilot program. 'We've seen huge results with it,' Fair said of the change. 'We're looking forward to continuing to expand those results especially into Frederick, which was not part of that pilot.' Other bills with Frederick County sponsors signed into law by Moore on Tuesday include: * SB84/HB22 * , sponsored by Sen. Paul Corderman and Rep. William Valentine (both R-2): requires the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services to conduct an annual study on individuals' residence prior to incarceration and on release from a state correctional facility * SB502/HB1200 * , sponsored by Corderman and Valentine: authorizes the governing body of a county or municipality to provide a property tax credit for judicial officers in addition to law enforcement officers and rescue workers HB241 * , sponsored by Simpson: allows a spouse to disclose a confidential communication between spouses occurring during their marriage in a criminal action in which one spouse is charged with a crime against the other spouse * HB300 * , sponsored by Del. Ken Kerr (D-3): increases the rate at which nonprofit organizations receiving state-funded grants or contracts may be reimbursed for indirect costs from 10% to 15% * HB293 * , sponsored by Del. Jesse Pippy (R-4) and co-sponsored by Simpson: allows the testimony of a child abuse victim be taken outside a courtroom and shown in the courtroom by closed circuit television. Moore signed some Frederick County bills into law on April 8. Three more rounds of bill signings are planned on May 6, 13 and 20. He will have until May 27 to sign or veto bills passed by the state legislature during this year's session. A bill also can become law if the governor takes no action.
