Wash Post Crime

Federal Courts Says D.C. Police Checkpoints Were Unconstitutional

Maria Glod — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

A federal appeals court ruled yesterday that checkpoints set up by District police in neighborhoods beset by violence are unconstitutional, effectively ending a crime-fighting tactic that officials say was used in only the most dire circumstances to protect residents.

Suspect in Boy's Slaying Was a Lookout, Officials Say

Ruben Castaneda — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

The District man charged this week in the killing of an 8-month-old boy as he sat in his car seat is believed to have been the lookout in the crime, and Prince George's County police are still seeking the suspected gunman, authorities said yesterday.

Leesburg Hostage Situation Ends With No Serious Injuries, Police Say

Derek Kravitz and Paul Duggan — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

A couple in their 80s who were held hostage for hours in their Leesburg home were freed last night, and the gunman who had held them gave himself up, authorities said.

Teen Fatally Shot Near Nationals Stadium

washingtonpost.com — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 08:11:58 EDT

A 16-year-old was shot yesterday about a block from Nationals Stadium and died later at a nearby hospital, D.C. police said yesterday.

D.C. Man Charged in the '08 Shooting Death of a Pr. George's Infant

Rick Rojas — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Last September, 9-month-old Anthony M. Savoy III was killed in his car seat in Suitland, struck by one of more than a dozen bullets from an automatic weapon. Yesterday, Prince George's County police think, they found their man.

After Attack Victim Dies, Alleged Members of Md. Gang to Be Charged With Murder

Dan Morse — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Montgomery County authorities were preparing to charge seven alleged members of the Latin Kings gang with murder yesterday in connection with an attack that grew out of tension over women.

After 9-Month Trial, Six D.C. Gang Members Convicted of Crimes Including Murder

Keith L. Alexander — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

It was the longest trial in D.C. Superior Court history, and this week a jury found six members of a Southeast Washington gang guilty of four slayings, several assaults and witness intimidation.

Former Navy Officer's Fraud Retrial Halted

washingtonpost.com — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 06:47:16 EDT

An appeals court ordered a halt yesterday to the retrial of a former Navy commander accused of lying about injuries he suffered during the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks to collect more than $300,000 from a victims fund.

Swine Flu Death; Adams Morgan Death; Man Charged in Killing; Guilty Plea in Murder; Officer's Retrial Halted

Post — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Maryland health officials announced yesterday the second swine flu-related death in the state. The person was a Baltimore area adult with serious underlying medical conditions. Officials did not release additional information about the person.

Montgomery Planning Board Backs I-270 Rapid Bus Line; Man Acquitted in Landover Hills Killing; 2nd Suspect Arrested in Langley Park Slaying

Post — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

The Montgomery County Planning Board recommended late Monday that a transit line planned for the Interstate 270 corridor be a bus rapid transit system, rather than light rail, and that the highway be widened with toll lanes that would be free or discounted to vehicles with numerous passengers.

John Grisham to Write a Screenplay About the 'Norfolk Four' Case

Tom Jackman — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Best-selling author John Grisham is joining the controversy over the "Norfolk Four" by writing a screenplay about the four sailors who claim they were wrongly convicted after confessing to the rape and murder of a woman in Virginia's second-largest city in 1997.

Va. Mother Pleads Guilty to Leaving Girl, 13, for Dead in Creek

Jonathan Mummolo — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

A Prince William County woman pleaded guilty yesterday to charges of leaving her adopted 13-year-old daughter for dead in a frigid creek in January, and county police acknowledged that they could have responded better to numerous reports that the girl was being abused and neglected.

Homicide Suspect Arrested After Barricading Himself in Takoma Park Apartment

Post — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 20:28:00 EDT

A suspect in a Prince George's County homicide was arrested tonight in Takoma Park after barricading himself inside an apartment house for several hours, Takoma Park police said.

D.C. Woman Sentenced in Library of Congress Identity Fraud

Del Quentin Wilber — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 12:30:01 EDT

A 35-year-old Southeast Washington woman was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in federal prison for using the purloined identities of Library of Congress employees to purchases nearly $40,000 in goods.

Pr. George's Police Probe Three Home Invasions

Matt Zapotosky — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 12:28:56 EDT

Police in Prince George's County are investigating three home invasion-style robberies this morning in which suspects broke into unsuspecting victims' homes, bound the occupants and robbed them at gunpoint, authorities said.

Va. Inmate's Lawyers Argue Double Jeopardy

AP — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 16:27:00 EDT

Lawyers for a Virginia inmate scheduled to die next week for killing a 16-year-old -- then bragging about it to prosecutors when he thought he couldn't face the death penalty -- are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to stop the execution.

Md. U.S. Attorney Hires Prosecutors to Focus on Gangs

AP — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 16:03:00 EDT

Maryland's U.S. attorney is hiring three prosecutors to focus on gang-related cases.

Officer Has Documented Evidence of D.C.'s Most Gruesome Crimes Nearly 25 Years

Keith L. Alexander — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

The calls come across his cellphone and walkie-talkie: Respond to a shooting . . . 5400 block of C Street Southeast. . . . One male victim remaining on the scene.

Arlington Police Release Footage of Apple Store Shooter

Jonathan Mummolo and Derek Kravitz — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 12:02:54 EDT

Arlington County police have yet to identify the man who shot an Apple store employee in Clarendon yesterday morning in a back storeroom as more than three dozen shoppers milled about the showroom, police said today.

Employee Injured in Va. Apple Store Shooting; Suspect Sought

Derek Kravitz — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

An employee of an Apple store in Arlington County was shot and wounded yesterday morning during an attempted armed robbery in a back storeroom as more than three dozen shoppers and other employees milled about the showroom.

Md. Prisons, Wireless Industry at Odds Over Jamming Inmate Cellphones

Henri E. Cauvin — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

In the war for wireless supremacy, there is Verizon vs. AT&T, the iPhone vs. the BlackBerry. -- And then there's Gary D. Maynard vs. the 23,000 residents of Maryland's state prisons. -- In his bid to snuff out mobile phones in Maryland's two dozen state lockups, Maynard, the state's public safety...

DNA Convicts Man in 1983 D.C. Slaying and Rape

Keith L. Alexander — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

In one of the first cases in the District in which DNA was used as key evidence in closing a decades-old investigation, a D.C. Superior Court jury yesterday found a former church deacon guilty of raping and murdering a 57-year-old woman in 1983.

Banita Jacks Case: Judge to Decide Whether Woman Killed Daughters

Keith L. Alexander — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

A judge, not a jury, will decide whether Banita Jacks is guilty of killing her four daughters inside their Southeast Washington home, a D.C. Superior Court judge ruled yesterday.

Family, D.C. Court at Odds Over Funeral Expenses

Keith L. Alexander — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

For almost a month, the embalmed body of Toni Brown has lain in a District funeral home, dressed in a white shirt and a blue linen suit her mother bought for her.

Landover Man Charged in Slaying of Witness Against Brother

Ruben Castaneda — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

A brother of the man charged in the 2006 slaying of a well-known music producer in Prince George's County has been arrested and charged with killing a witness who was prepared to testify in the earlier killing, authorities said yesterday.

Man Fatally Shot in Langley Park Apartment Building

Post — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 23:52:01 EDT

A man was shot to death Wednesday night in the stairwell of an apartment building in the Langley Park area, Prince George's County police said.

Condemned Va. Inmate Chooses Electrocution

The Associated Press — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 10:31:00 EDT

A Virginia man set to die later this month for killing a 16-year-old girl and bragging about it in a letter to prosecutors wants to die by electrocution.

Police: Toddler Left in Car for 8 Hours Dies

Post — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 08:24:59 EDT

Howard County police say a 23-month-old girl died of heatstroke after one of her parents unintentionally left her strapped in her car seat in front of the family's Ellicott City home.

Tax Scam Leader Gets More Than 17 Years

Del Quentin Wilber — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Harriette Walters, a former mid-level D.C. tax office manager, was sentenced yesterday to 17 1/2 years in federal prison, capping the prosecution of the largest embezzlement in District government history.

Hearing for Suspect in Museum Shooting Delayed; Anti-Gang Proposal Rejected Again; Montgomery Vote on Speed Bumps Postponed

Post — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

An initial hearing scheduled for today for white supremacist James von Brunn, who is accused of fatally shooting a security guard at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, was rescheduled for next week because von Brunn was not well enough to be released from a hospital.

Anne Arundel Officer Responding to Break-In Report Wounds Teenager

Matt Zapotosky — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

An Anne Arundel County police officer shot and wounded an unarmed Hyattsville teenager yesterday after the teenager twice ran into him with an SUV, according to police and a witness.

Walters the Benevolent or Walters the Greedy? Sentencing in Tax Scam Today

Del Quentin Wilber — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

What kind of person is Harriette Walters, the mid-level D.C. tax office manager behind the largest embezzlement in District government history?

How 10 Others Were Involved and Sentenced in the D.C. Tax-Refund Scam

Post — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Ten people have pleaded guilty in the D.C. tax scam and been sentenced. Federal authorities are not likely to charge anyone else.

Montgomery County Robbery Convict Wins New Trial

Dan Morse — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

A Maryland appeals court has ordered a new trial for a Montgomery County man convicted two years ago of taking part in a wild, midday shootout between robbers and armored truck guards in a strip mall parking lot, attorneys in the case said yesterday.

D.C. Homicides on Pace for Lowest Total in Decades

Martin Weil — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

With 2009 half over, the number of homicides reported by police in the District -- 66 -- is 20 percent below last year's figure and is on pace to be the lowest yearly total in decades.

Man Barricades Self; Victim in Shooting, Crash at JCPenney Identified

Post — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Authorities yesterday identified a Prince George's County teenager who was found with a fatal gunshot wound in a car in the parking lot of the Forest Village Park Mall.

Two Judges Target Penalty Disparity for Crack and Powder Cocaine Offenses

Del Quentin Wilber — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Federal judges are beginning to equalize punishment for crack and powder cocaine crimes, resulting in shorter prison terms for crack dealers and putting pressure on Congress to address a wide disparity in how the legal system handles cocaine-related offenses.

Prince George's Teen Found Shot Dead

Matt Zapotosky — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 11:45:00 EDT

A Prince George's County teenager was found with a fatal gunshot wound yesterday in a car in the parking lot of Forest Village Park Mall, authorities said today.

Alexandria Man Charged With Illegally Creating Machine Guns

Tom Jackman — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Federal agents raided an Alexandria man's home and seized 75 guns after he sold three machine guns to an undercover agent beginning in April, authorities said yesterday.

Trial Looms for D.C. Man Accused of Robbing Man Who Placed Craigslist Ad

Keith L. Alexander — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

A Southeast Washington man is about to stand trial in D.C. Superior Court for allegedly robbing a man trying to sell wheel rims on the Internet.

Man Pleads Guilty in Fatal Shootings; Metro Board Approves Budget; Quarantines Placed on Fire Ant-Infested Areas

Post — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

A Prince William County man pleaded guilty yesterday to the shooting deaths of three people in 2007, but prosecutors said they would not seek the death penalty.

Son Will Face Trial In Father's '06 Killing

Tom Jackman — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

The killing of a former top government marine biologist in Fairfax County in 2006 is headed to trial next month after a Fairfax judge declined yesterday to dismiss a murder charge against his son for violating his right to a speedy trial.

6 Park Police Officers on Leave After Fatal D.C. Shooting

Theola Labbé-DeBose — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Six U.S. Park Police officers are on paid administrative leave after the fatal shooting this month of a man in Northeast, Park Police Chief Salvatore Lauro said last night, and the federal police force is steering clear of the neighborhood as the incident is investigated.

Man Pleads Guilty to Pr. William Triple Murder

Jonathan Mummolo — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:27:00 EDT

A Prince William County man pleaded guilty today to the shooting deaths of three people in 2007, but prosecutors said they would not seek the death penalty.

High-Profile Homicides in Prince George's County Remain Unsolved

Aaron C. Davis — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

When Prince George's State's Attorney Glenn F. Ivey announced this month that he did not have enough evidence to prosecute guards in the jailhouse death of Ronnie L. White -- a death ruled a homicide by the state medical examiner -- county civil rights leaders expressed dismay that such a killing...

Two Seriously Injured Behind Reston Area Shopping Center

Post — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 00:10:01 EDT

Two men suffered serious injuries Wednesday night during a melee between two groups of men fighting behind a Reston area shopping center, Fairfax County police said.

Judge Denies Home Detention Bid of Pr. George's Inmate Beaten by Other Prisoner

Ruben Castaneda — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

A Prince George's County jail inmate who was beaten badly by another inmate when a guard "inadvertently" opened the victim's cell pleaded with a judge yesterday to let him serve the rest of his sentence on home detention, a request that was denied.

Justice Dept. to Review Role of Task Force in Fatal D.C. Shooting

Theola Labbé-DeBose — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

The civil rights division of the Justice Department will look into the actions of a law enforcement task force in the recent killing of Trey Joyner, the weapons suspect who was shot by a U.S. Park Police officer in Northeast Washington.

ATF Agent Who Witnessed a D.C. Shooting Faced a Tough Choice: Fire or Call for Backup

Clarence Williams — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Bill Crummett had just spent hours organizing federal agents to investigate a fatal shooting at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum when an unrelated burst of gunfire flashed before his eyes.

Holocaust Museum Suspect Too Ill to Be in Court, Prosecutors Say

Del Quentin Wilber — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

The 88-year-old white supremacist charged with murder in the killing of a security guard at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum this month was discharged from George Washington University Hospital last week but is too ill to appear in court, federal prosecutors said yesterday.

Justice Department Asks Judge to Drop Drug Case Against Mexican Millionaire

Del Quentin Wilber — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

The Justice Department asked a federal judge yesterday to toss drug charges against a Chinese-born Mexican millionaire, saying that U.S. prosecutors had run into "evidentiary concerns" and that Mexico would be a better place to try him.

Robberies in Metro System Increasing, on Track to Jump 24 Percent by Year's End

Lena H. Sun — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Robberies in the Metro transit system are increasing and are on track to jump 24 percent by the end of the year if the current pace continues, according to Transit Police statistics.

Pa. Man, 45, Killed in Alexandria

Post — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 15:21:59 EDT

Alexandria police have identified a man who was killed Thursday as 45-year-old Michael James Horton, police said today.

Crime Still Has a Grip on D.C.'s Columbia Heights

Derek Kravitz — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

A rash of shootings in a rapidly redeveloping section of Columbia Heights has given longtime and newly minted residents a sobering reminder that as much as the area has changed, the presence of gangs and violence has not.

O'Malley Is Far Behind Ehrlich's Clemency Pace in Md.

John Wagner — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

During his four years as governor of Maryland, Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. (R) drew national notice for the aggressive use of his executive clemency powers, pardoning or commuting the sentences of 249 convicts, including several serving life sentences for murder.

Va. Bus Driver Charged in Slaying Had Criminal Record

Jonathan Mummolo — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

A Woodbridge bus driver charged in a fatal shooting this week had prior convictions for crack cocaine possession, witness tampering and evidence tampering and served time in federal prison before he began driving buses for the Potomac and Rappahannock Transit Commission five years ago, court records...

Intern for Council Member Charged in NW Shooting

Theola Labbé-DeBose — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

When a gunman opened fire outside the Columbia Heights Metro station Thursday afternoon, D.C. Council member Jim Graham (D-Ward 1) angrily denounced the incident, which was believed to be gang-related, and called for stronger penalties against gang members.

O'Malley Wants Review of Md. Animal Cruelty Laws

The Associated Press — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 10:21:58 EDT

Gov. Martin O'Malley is asking the state's attorney general to review Maryland's animal cruelty laws.

Fatally Wounded Man Is Found in Old Town Alexandria Alley

Clarence Williams — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

An unidentified man was found fatally wounded yesterday evening in an alley of a quiet Old Town Alexandria neighborhood in a case that offered few early clues, city police said.

D.C. Police Seek Suspect in Shooting of 2 Near Columbia Heights Metro

Theola Labbé-DeBose — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Two people were wounded yesterday afternoon when a gunman opened fire near the busy Columbia Heights Metro station in Northwest Washington, police said.

6 Indicted in Fatal Montgomery Stabbing; Man Found Dead After Fight; Md., D.C. Get Weatherization Grants

Post — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Montgomery County prosecutors secured murder indictments yesterday against six people who had been previously charged in connection with the slaying in January of a 15-year-old who was stabbed 72 times and dumped in a Gaithersburg creek.

Fire Captain Convicted of Raping Woman Who Had Passed Out

Matt Zapotosky — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

A D.C. fire captain accused of sexually assaulting a 23-year-old woman who had passed out at a party at his stepdaughter's house has been convicted of second-degree rape, authorities said yesterday.

Former Alexandria Parking Meter Repairman Pleads Guilty to Embezzlement

Allison Klein — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

The white-haired parking meter repairman who, little by little, stole more than $100,000 in coins from meters in Alexandria pleaded guilty today to two counts of embezzling public funds and faces a maximum of 40 years in prison.

Germantown Residents Say Home Was Invaded

Rick Rojas — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

The knock came shortly after midnight. Josh Armolt rose from the couch of his Germantown home, where he had been watching television with his mother and one of their housemates, he said.

Child Porn Found on Museum Suspect's Computer, Court Told

Del Quentin Wilber — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Authorities discovered child pornography on a computer belonging to James W. von Brunn, the 88-year-old white supremacist accused of killing a security guard at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum last week, according to court documents filed by the FBI.

Woman Indicted in Killings of Adopted Daughters, Stealing D.C. Aid Remittances

Dan Morse — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

A woman previously charged with killing two of her adopted daughters in Montgomery County and storing their bodies in a freezer for more than a year was indicted in the slayings yesterday and also on charges of stealing from the District by collecting adoption remittances after their deaths.

Six Indicted as Gang Members in Killing of Md. Teen

Dan Morse — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 18:20:56 EDT

Montgomery County prosecutors secured murder indictments today against six people who had been previously charged in connection with the slaying in January of a 15-year-old who was stabbed 72 times and dumped in a Gaithersburg creek.

Pr. William Social Worker Fired, 2 Suspended for Errors in Abuse Case

Jonathan Mummolo — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

A Prince William County social services employee has been fired and two others disciplined for mishandling the case of a 13-year-old girl whose adoptive mother is accused of abusing and killing her, county officials said yesterday.

D.C. Adds Mapping Function to Online Sex-Offender Registry

Paul Duggan — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

The D.C. police department has enhanced its online sex-offender registry, adding a mapping function that allows a user to type in any address in the city and view information on offenders living or working near that location.

Corruption Trial of Ex-Rep. Jefferson Begins

Allison Klein — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Federal prosecutors laid out their bribery case against former U.S. representative William J. Jefferson yesterday, telling jurors that he squeezed hundreds of thousands of dollars in kickbacks from people who sought his help, while the defense said that Jefferson might have committed unethical acts...

D.C. Council Rejects Fenty's Anti-Gang Measure

Tim Craig — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

The D.C. Council rejected a proposal yesterday that would have made it easier to arrest and detain suspected gang members, gutting a key provision of Mayor Adrian M. Fenty's strategy to fight crime.

Pr. George's Judge Orders Inmate Temporarily Released After Beating in Jail

Ruben Castaneda — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

A judge ruled yesterday that a Prince George's County jail inmate who was badly beaten this month after a guard "inadvertently" unlocked his cell door sustained injuries serious enough to warrant temporary release so he can be evaluated by a doctor of his choosing.

Bus Driver Charged in One of Two Slayings Near Terminal

Jonathan Mummolo — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Prince William County authorities have charged a Woodbridge bus driver with killing a fellow driver -- one of two men found fatally shot Monday morning near a bus terminal -- but police say it is unclear who shot the second man or how the confrontation transpired.

Anti-Gang Proviso in D.C. Crime Bill Draws Support but Also Raises Concerns

Paul Duggan — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

The D.C. Council is set to vote today on a broad crime bill that includes a new legal mechanism for combating gangs, one that proponents say has been effective in other cities but that critics warn could infringe on people's liberties.

Police Arrest Transit Employee in Double Slaying Near Woodbridge, Va., Bus Terminal

Jonathan Mummolo and Martin Weil — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

A bus driver and another man were fatally shot yesterday morning near a bus terminal in Woodbridge, and a suspect was arrested last night and charged with murder, Prince William County police said.

Police Searching for Suspect After Fatal Double Shooting in Woodbridge

Jonathan Mummolo — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:30:58 EDT

Prince William County police said they are investigating a shooting that occurred near the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission (PRTC) bus terminal in Woodbridge about 11 a.m. Two men were killed, according to police.

Parole Agency Continues to Search for Man Who Died in '08

Brigid Schulte — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Surveillance cameras in stores, on traffic lights, over ATMs and in subway stations can track our every move. Every swipe of a credit card, every click of the computer keyboard leaves a trace of our movements, our purchases, our preferences. Our Social Security numbers, personal information, taxes...

St. Mary's County Wholesaler Pleads Guilty in Overfishing Ring

Matt Zapotosky — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

A St. Mary's County fish wholesaler pleaded guilty Thursday to federal charges in connection with an overfishing scheme that has embroiled more than a dozen area watermen, authorities said.

Major Witness Against Hornsby Given Probation

Henri E. Cauvin — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

A woman who was a key witness in the government's corruption case against Andre J. Hornsby, the Prince George's County schools chief with whom she had been romantically involved, will not follow him to prison.

Metro Gets Stimulus Funds; Two People Hurt in Va. Carjacking; O'Malley Seeks Electricity Rate Relief

Post — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Metro has received $17.7 million in federal stimulus money from the Federal Transit Administration to repair track beds, purchase emergency evacuation equipment, improve the chemical sensor detection in underground stations and upgrade farecard vending machines, federal officials said this week.

Gaithersburg Woman Causes 3 Crashes by Driving the Wrong Way in Frederick County

Dan Morse — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

A Gaithersburg woman who was under the influence of alcohol caused three car crashes Thursday by driving the wrong way along seven miles of highway in Frederick County, authorities said yesterday.

Bethesda Physician Is Charged With Drug Possession

Dan Morse — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 16:15:58 EDT

A Bethesda physician who is the focus of an investigation into the distribution of prescription painkillers was charged with drug possession after a raid at his home turned up cocaine and traces of Ritalin on drug paraphernalia, authorities said yesterday.

Economic Downturn Speeds Collapse of Ponzi Schemes

Del Quentin Wilber — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

The great recession has decimated many industries; home builders, automakers and bankers are obvious casualties.

Fatal Shooting Is Investigated as a Homicide;Falls Church Man Killed in Head-On Collision;Two Gang Members Convicted of Slaying Rival

Post — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

A 54-year-old man was found lying on a sidewalk Wedneday night with a fatal gunshot wound in his upper body, and police are investigating the death as a homicide, Fairfax County police said yesterday.

Woman Killed in Driveway Accident; O'Malley Proposes Millions in BGE Rate Relief; New DNA Law Helps in Arrest of Suspect; New Chief at Fort Detrick

Post — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

An 84-year-old Takoma Park woman was killed yesterday after she was pinned under her car in a driveway, Montgomery County police said.

Md. Insurance Agent Accused of Defrauding Seniors of $280,000

Ovetta Wiggins — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Martha Cunningham owned a $417,000 home in Prince George's County and held $61,000 in annuities before she met Edward Hanson four years ago. Today, the 79-year-old widow is essentially broke and inundated with debt.

Eastern Shore Acquaintances Say Museum Shooting Suspect Spouted Hatred

Ashley Halsey III and Paul Duggan — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

The anger of James Wenneker von Brunn was too big for the quiet civility of the small town on Maryland's Eastern Shore where he made his home for much of the past three decades.

Md. Police Officer, Alleged Accomplice, Charged in Bank Break-in

Aaron C. Davis — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

The cop drove the robber to the bank, police say. He also brought the electric saw, the extra blades, the extension cord and the pry bar.

Increased Police Presence Couldn't Stop Columbia Heights Slaying

Theola Labbé-DeBose — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

After a series of shootings this year in and around the 1300 block of Columbia Road NW, D.C. police stationed an officer there to provide an extra measure of public safety.

At a Monument of Sorrow, A Burst of Deadly Violence

Michael E. Ruane, Paul Duggan and Clarence Williams — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

At 12:40 p.m. yesterday a man stepped through the doors of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. He took two paces, lowered his rifle at a security guard and, before anyone could react, opened fire in a popular national landmark.

4 Charged in Arundel Firebombing; Gang Ties Suspected

Aaron C. Davis — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

A group of Anne Arundel County high school students and a 22-year-old man, all allegedly linked to a gang, have been arrested on charges of firebombing a home in Odenton in retaliation for the killing last month of a 14-year-old boy, police said.

Maryland Briefs

Post — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Prince George's Police Corporal Under Investigation in Bank Burglaries

Aaron C. Davis — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

A Prince George's County police corporal is under criminal investigation for possible involvement in an elaborate scheme to steal money from a bank early yesterday in Temple Hills, police said.

D.C.'s Trinidad Neighborhood Seethes After Police Shooting

Clarence Williams and Theola Labbé-DeBose — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

About 100 people flocked to a church in Northeast Washington last night to ask why U.S. Park Police had fatally shot a 25-year-old man in the Trinidad neighborhood. But many in the crowd seemed to leave with even more questions and a greater sense of frustration.

2 Southeast D.C. Youths Wounded in Drive-By Shooting

Paul Duggan — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

A drive-by shooting into a group of mostly young people outside a Southeast Washington apartment building late Monday night wounded a girl, 9, and a boy, 15, both of whom are expected to recover.

8 Plead Guilty in Area Restaurant Credit Card-Skimming Scam

Jerry Markon — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

The charges began appearing on their credit card bills after they had eaten at well-known Washington restaurants: thousands of dollars for televisions and iPods at Target; hundreds more for American Express gift cards at Giant Food.

Man Pleads Guilty in Ex-Girlfriend's Stabbing Death

Tom Jackman — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

A Prince William County man who stabbed his ex-girlfriend 91 times with a pair of scissors, killing her not far from her Vienna home last July, pleaded guilty yesterday to second-degree murder with an agreement that he face no more than 20 years in prison.

Hyattsville Officer Pleads Guilty in Attack on Unarmed Man

Ruben Castaneda — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EDT

A Hyattsville police officer pleaded guilty yesterday to using a metal baton to assault an unarmed man who had done nothing to provoke the attack.