Chamber of Commerce Awards 2024

/in /by

April 18, 2024

Frederick, MD – The Frederick County Chamber of Commerce celebrated the 9th Annual Public Safety Awards at the Brunswick Fire Hall this morning. The Frederick County State’s Attorney’s Office is proud to partner with Frederick Police Department, Frederick County Sheriff’s Office, MD – Integrity Driven • Community Built, Brunswick, MD Police Department, Maryland State Police Frederick Barrack and Homeland Security Investigations in receipt of the Unit Achievement Award for the Washington/Baltimore High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA).

 

Howard County Man to Serve 2 Years in the Department of Corrections After Pleading Guilty to 1 Count of Sexual Solicitation of a Minor

/in , /by

Press Release

For Immediate Release

April 12, 2024

Howard County Man to Serve 2 Years in the Department of Corrections After Pleading Guilty to

 1 Count of Sexual Solicitation of a Minor

 

 

Frederick, Maryland – Today in Frederick County Circuit Court, Judge Scott Rolle accepted the guilty plea of Scott Paul Locastro, 51 years old, for one count of sexual solicitation of a minor.  Locastro currently resides in the Frederick County Adult Detention Center.

On January 3, 2024, a Frederick County Sheriff’s Deputy, with the INTERCEPT Task Force, performing an online investigation and posing as a 13-year-old female, received text messages from Scott Locastro containing sexualized conversation, including soliciting the “minor” for sexual acts multiple times.  The defendant also asked the “minor” if he could go to her house and hide in her closet.  Furthermore, the defendant, asked the “minor” to meet at various locations including the park, a hotel room and his truck.

A subpoena was served to Verizon Wireless for the phone number used to communicate with the Sheriff’s Office deputy.  Scott Locastro was determined to be the account subscriber of the phone number.  In addition, GPS and physical surveillance revealed the defendant to be traveling in a black Chevy Cruz from the area of Livestock Road, West Friendship, MD to Frederick County, MD.  When the defendant arrived at the prearranged meeting point, he was arrested.  The defendant admitted to communicating with multiple minors and exchanging explicit, nude images with them.

The Frederick County Circuit Court sentenced Locastro to 10 years, suspend all but 2 years, in the Department of Corrections.  The Maryland sentencing guidelines for this case was probation to 2 years.  Probation will include five years of COMET-supervised probation, a psycho-sexual evaluation and sex-offender treatment.  The defendant must comply with specialized sexual offender supervision – offense specific treatment, medication, polygraph testing, computer monitoring, electronic tracking and curfew/geographic restriction.

The defendant will register as a Tier-2 Sex Offender Registrant and cannot have under unsupervised contact with any minor children. All other standard conditions of supervised probation apply.

Chief Counsel Joyce King represented the State of Maryland.

Press Contact:

Jacqueline Rottmann

Communications Specialist

JRottmann@statesattorney.us

301-600-2972

####

Thurmont Man to Serve 18 Months in Jail for 10 Counts, Including 3 Hate Crimes, 2 Counts of Harassment, 3 Counts of Trespassing and 2 Counts of Disorderly Conduct

/in /by

Press Release

For Immediate Release

April 4, 2024

 

Thurmont Man to Serve 18 Months in Jail for 10 Counts, Including 3 Hate Crimes, 2 Counts of Harassment, 3 Counts of Trespassing and 2 Counts of Disorderly Conduct

 

Frederick, Maryland – Today, Judge Julie Solt sentenced Michael David Burns to 9 years, suspend all but 18 months to be served in the Frederick County Adult Detention Center for 10 counts, including three hate crimes, two counts of harassment, three counts of trespassing and two counts of disorderly conduct on his neighbors’ property.  In January, a jury found the defendant guilty of those 10 counts.  The FCADC will arrange for the defendant to be on work release during the 18-month sentence.  The defendant has been on home detention, monitored by A1 Trusted Monitoring, since January 26, 2024, pending his sentencing date.

The victims, a same-sex couple who are neighbors of the defendant, reported the trespassing and harassment last year directly to the State’s Attorney’s Office.  Assistant State’s Attorney, Carly Gibson filed charges against the defendant based in part on the defendant’s continually trespassing onto the victims’ property while in possession of a rifle, verbally harassing the victims with hate-based threats, throwing large rocks on the victims’ driveway to prevent them from accessing their property, and physically blocking the entrance to the property.

In addition to the 18-month jail sentence, which begins today, the defendant will serve 5 years of supervised probation upon his release to include: alcohol and drug treatment, mental health treatment and no contact with the victims or their property.

Assistant State’s Attorney, Carly Gibson led the investigation leading to the charging, prosecution and conviction of Michael David Burns.  Several civil actions against the defendant are pending.

Press Contact:

Jacqueline Rottmann

Communications Specialist

JRottmann@statesattorney.us

301-600-2972

####

 

Walkersville Man to Serve 30 Days in Jail for Two Felony Counts of Aggravated Animal Cruelty

/in /by

Press Release

For Immediate Release

April 3, 2024

 

Walkersville Man to Serve 30 Days in Jail for Two Felony Counts of Aggravated Animal Cruelty

 

 

Frederick, Maryland – Anthony Houston Smith, II was sentenced to six years, suspending all but 30 days in jail (to be served by spending ten consecutive weekends in jail), this morning in the Frederick County Circuit Court by Judge Julie Solt for two felony counts of aggravated animal cruelty.

On February 11, 2023, a Sheriff’s Office Deputy responded to a call at 8313 Water Street Road in Walkersville,  describing “dogs being starved and possibly dead on the property.”  Animal Control was then called to the scene and subsequently searched the property after receiving permission from the owner, Anthony Houston Smith, II.  Upon searching the property, authorities found five dogs which appeared to be starved and struggling for water.  An additional three dogs were found deceased on the property. Two of the three deceased dogs were found discarded in trash bags.  Of the five surviving dogs, four dogs were taken to a shelter and one dog was immediately taken to a veterinarian for treatment.

In May, 2023, the defendant was charged with 23 counts of animal cruelty.  In August, 2023, the case was moved up to the Circuit Court by way of a Criminal Information filed by the State.  The defendant entered an Alford plea to two counts of Felony Aggravated Animal Cruelty on January 29, 2024 and was subsequently found guilty on both counts. The defendant also received three years of supervised probation, with the following special conditions:  1) do not acquire any additional pets, 2) compliance checks to be done by animal control, and 3) enroll into any other programs recommended by supervising agent.

Assistant State’s Attorney, Robert McCall represented the State.

 

Press Contact:

Jacqueline Rottmann

Communications Specialist

JRottmann@statesattorney.us

301-600-2972

####