2023 MORTON BARD AWARD WINNER, FREDERICK COUNTY STATE’S ATTORNEY DOMESTIC VIOLENCE UNIT CHIEF ASSISTANT STATE’S ATTORNEY BRETT ENGLER

/in /by

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 29, 2023

Frederick, Maryland – The National Organization for Victim Assistance has awarded Frederick County State’s Attorney Domestic Violence Unit Chief Assistant State’s Attorney Brett Engler with the 2023 Morton Bard Award.  The award recognizes outstanding leadership and tireless efforts in advancing crime victim’s rights. She was nominated and selected for this distinguished award by her colleagues and peers at NOVA, who collectively recognize the critical impact she makes daily. Her unwavering dedication to assisting and empowering victims and survivors of crime is an inspiration to us all. Most significantly, her extraordinary compassion, leadership and ingenuity in her work has helped countless victims and survivors begin to heal in the aftermath of a crime.

Ms. Engler has been with the Frederick County State’s Attorney’s Office for over ten years primarily focusing on domestic violence cases.  She spearheaded efforts to develop a more specialized unit devoted solely to domestic violence and intimate partner abuse which resulted in the creation of the new Domestic Violence Unit of the Frederick County State’s Attorney’s Office where she serves as Chief.

“From the day Brett started, she had the passion and grit to stand up for victims of intimate partner violence.  Here we are over a decade later, and she is turning heads nationally.  Frederick is very fortunate to have such a smart and dedicated Chief DV prosecutor,” stated State’s Attorney Charlie Smith.

Ms. Engler works hard each day to protect victims of domestic violence and raise awareness of its dangers. She participates with, and leads, several local committees whose purpose is to provide better services to the victims they encounter. Most recently, her passion for protecting victims and combatting intergenerational cycles of violence led to the formation of the rebooted Frederick County Domestic Violence Coordinating Council, on which she serves as Chair. She also Chairs the Frederick County Fatality Review Team and created a Domestic Violence High Risk Team that includes her office, the Office of Parole and Probation and law enforcement.

STATE’S ATTORNEY J. CHARLES SMITH, III, JOINS GROUNDBREAKING INITIATIVE TO COMBAT ORGANIZED RETAIL CRIME AND STRENGTHEN COMMUNITY SAFETY: NATIONAL STORE WALK MONTH

/in /by

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 28, 2023

Frederick, Maryland – Joining forces with the National District Attorneys Association (NDAA) and the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA), J. Charles Smith, III, State’s Attorney for Frederick County, MD, proudly announces National Store Walk Month, an innovative initiative taking place in September. This initiative intends to address the urgent issue of retail crime and habitual theft and its rippling effects on our communities, signifying a pioneering step in facilitating crucial dialogue and cooperation between local law enforcement and community retailers.

During September, Smith plans to lead Frederick County’s participation by visiting several retail businesses, demonstrating his Office’s commitment to work hand-in-hand with community retailers, exchanging valuable insights, fostering a mutual understanding, and collaboratively developing retail crime mitigation strategies. This unprecedented partnership is anticipated to provide a robust understanding of the challenges at hand, enabling a unified and potent response.

 “The Frederick County State’s Attorney’s Office is committed to prosecuting habitual/organized. Retail thefts in an effort to deter this behavior and promote the safety and well-being of both. Employees and customers while they work and shop in Frederick County.” –   J. Charles Smith III

 Smith also expressed his appreciation for the continued assistance of all retail partners in these prosecution efforts.

Retail theft collectively costs communities billions annually, undermining local economies and threatening the viability of storefronts in neighborhoods across the country.  Equally concerning, in recent years organized and habitual theft has become more brazen and violent, raising safety concerns for employees and customers alike—disrupting lives, jeopardizing livelihoods, and undermining the vitality of communities and neighborhood shopping districts. National Store Walk Month aims to address these concerns, promoting safer, prosperous, and more vibrant communities.

National Store Walk Month welcomes all local retailers and prosecutors to participate, encouraging a united front against retail crime, and fostering a safer, more secure future. As part of this initiative, State’s Attorney Smith reaffirms a commitment to protecting the local community, combatting crime, and creating a more prosperous Frederick County.

For more information, please contact:

About the Frederick County State’s Attorney’s Office:

 The mission of the Frederick County State’s Attorney’s Office is to promote public safety and foster a sense of security in our community by holding people accountable for violating the law and pursuing justice in a fair, honest, efficient, and ethical manner.

Press Contact:

Joyce King

Chief Counsel

JKing1@statesattorney.us

301-600-1516

###

THURMONT MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF A CHILD

/in /by

August 16, 2023                                                                                

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                         

Contact MARCIA LUBIN

at (410) 209-4854

www.justice.gov/usao/md                                                    

THURMONT MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF A CHILD

Defendant Broke Into His Neighbor’s Home and Took Sexually Explicit
Photographs of a Child

Baltimore, Maryland – Jose Alexander Diaz-Rodriguez, age 23, of Thurmont, pleaded guilty today sexual exploitation of a child, after he broke into his neighbor’s home and took sexually explicit photographs of a child.

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Chief Greg Eyler of the Thurmont Police Department; Chief Jason Landon of the Frederick Police Department; and Frederick County State’s Attorney J. Charles Smith, III.

According to his guilty plea, on July 26, 2021, Diaz-Rodriguez broke into his neighbor’s home and entered the bedroom where Jane Doe 1 and Jane Doe 2 were sleeping.  Diaz-Rodriguez got into bed with Jane Doe 1, who was eight years old, and produced a series of four images intending to create sexually explicit images of Jane Doe 1.  DNA from Diaz-Rodriguez was found on swabs from Jane Doe 1.

Jane Doe 1’s mother heard a noise and went into the room where she found Diaz-Rodriguez on the ground next to the bed.  Diaz-Rodriguez fled and was arrested a short time later at his residence.  A search warrant executed at his residence and his cell phone was seized.  A forensic examination of the phone located over 1,000 files depicting the sexual abuse of children, including the four images of Jane Doe 1, which Diaz-Rodriguez had deleted prior to police arrival.

Diaz-Rodriguez further admitted that he distributed child sex abuse material on his social media account, specifically an image documenting the sexual abuse of a child.

As part of his plea agreement, upon his release from prison, Diaz-Rodriguez will be required to register as a sex offender in the places where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (“SORNA”).

Diaz-Rodriguez and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts the plea agreement,
Diaz-Rodriguez will be sentenced to 18 years in federal prison.  U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett has scheduled sentencing for November 20, 2023 at 2:30 p.m.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.  Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.  For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI, the Thurmont Police Department, the Frederick Police Department and the Frederick County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation and prosecution.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Budlow and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Joyce King, who prosecuted the federal case.

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-childhood and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

# # #

FREDERICK MAN SENTENCED IN ONLINE SEXUAL SOLICITATION AND RAPE OF 13 YEAR OLD

/in /by

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 14, 2023

FREDERICK MAN SENTENCED IN ONLINE SEXUAL SOLICITATION AND RAPE OF 13 YEAR OLD

FREDERICK, MD – On Friday, August 11, 2023, Edwin Richard Hunt, age 43, of Joppa, Maryland was sentenced in Frederick County Circuit Court. The Honorable Judge Martz-Fisher sentenced him to 40 years suspended all but 20 years to serve in the Division of Corrections. Hunt, who entered a guilty plea, was convicted on the following charges: one count of Second-Degree Rape, one count of Sexual Solicitation of a Minor, and one count of Production of Child Pornography.

On January 20, 2023, officers from the Frederick Police Department responded to a report made by a 13-year-old female child, indicating that she had encountered a 40-year-old man online and that he later had sexual intercourse with her.  The defendant, later identified as Hunt, had met the victim three weeks earlier on a social media platform.  The defendant began to engage in sexually charged conversation with the minor victim, while sending explicit images. Digital forensics show the defendant travelled from Joppa, Maryland on two occasions. The first, in an attempt to provide the victim with “pleasure” toys and the second, to sexually assault the victim in her home. The victim disclosed that the defendant wanted the victim to produce a sexually explicit video. On January 18, 2023, the defendant performed vaginal intercourse, anal intercourse, cunnilingus, and fellatio on the 13-year-old victim.  On January 19, 2023, the defendant reestablished contact with the victim, intending to travel and meet the minor victim again to engage in another sexual act.

“Every child deserves protection from the dangers of sexual exploitation and abuse, be it online, in-person, or through sexually explicit images,” said State’s Attorney Charlie Smith. “We stand by the bravery of victims who come forward, and we’re resolute in our commitment to their safety. We will continue to work in tandem with other agencies to put an end to such reprehensible behavior.”

The investigation and prosecution of the case were led by the Frederick County Cyber Crimes Task Force (FCCCTF).  The FCCCTF was established in May 2019 as a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the State’s Attorney’s Office, the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office, and the Frederick Police Department. Investigators with the Maryland State Police, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) offer State and Federal support.

The mission of the FCCCTF is to investigate, apprehend, and prosecute internet sexual predators who exploit children through the use of the internet and technology, consistent with Maryland Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force standards and procedures.

The State was represented by Chief Counsel Joyce King and Assistant State’s Attorney Lindsey Carpenter.