Press Releases

FREDERICK- Darnell Morris, 39, of Frederick, MD appeared before the Honorable Judge Julia A. Martz-Fisher today and was sentenced to a total of 40 years in the Division of Corrections, with all but 10 years suspended.  By statute, 5 years of that 10 year sentence is to be served without parole.  Upon release, he will be placed on 5 years supervised probation.

On October 25, 2018, Morris entered a guilty plea to count 4, Distribution of CDS/Cocaine – Large Amount and count 8, Conspiracy to Distribute CDS/Cocaine.

Authorities began investigating the defendant’s involvement in the distribution of cocaine in the Frederick area in 2017. In February of 2018, Detectives with the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office Narcotic Investigative Section and the Frederick Police Department’s Drug Enforcement Unit were granted authority by the Circuit Court for Frederick County to wiretap two mobile telephones utilized by the defendant.

On April 4, intercepted communications revealed the Defendant arranging to source a large amount of cocaine. Through physical and digital surveillance, investigators observed him conspiring with another individual to pick up the cocaine, and then depositing it at another associate’s house on April 5, 2018.

On April 6, 2018, a search warrant was executed on the defendant’s residence in the area of Charstone Court.  $43,049 in cash was seized, which was known to be drug proceeds based on facts of the investigation.   A search of one of the associate’s residence revealed a total of 480 grams of powder cocaine.

The State was represented by Assistant State’s Attorney Colleen Swanson.

J. Charles Smith, III

State’s Attorney for

Frederick County, Maryland

On October 24, 2018, Special Counsel and Chief of Staff Joyce King provided training to Philippine prosecutors through the American Bar Association- Rule of Law Initiative’s International Justice Sector Education and Training (IJET) Program. Her training focused on implementing and designing curricula and case management practices aimed at clearing a large volume of cases and focusing on high-value targets with inter-institutional coordination.

The IJET Program is a month-long fellowship that includes workshops and training, institutional study visits, and mentorship focusing on reforming the preliminary investigation and prosecution of public corruption in the Philippines.

FREDERICK – After almost two weeks in the courtroom, on September 27 and 28, 2018, in two separate Motions Hearings, Judge Theresa Adams denied the defense counsels’ requests to try their clients as juveniles.  Defendants Bernard Moore, 17, and Daniel Ennos, 17, were involved in violence that the Judge described as “brutal and frightening” when they attacked staff members at the Victor Cullen Center in Sabillasville on April 8, 2018.   Multiple staff members were injured; months of work were lost by employees due to the injuries sustained.   The Judge cited the extensive efforts the Department of Juvenile Services has made to offer services and therapy to both of these youths.   Moore who will turn 18 years old in November 2018, is from Frederick County and had been sent to multiple juvenile placements and offered therapy for years.   Ennos who is from Prince George’s County, had also been under the jurisdiction of the Juvenile Court for years and offered various treatment programs and placements, but none ended successfully.   The Judge considered testimony from multiple expert witnesses testifying in each case before ruling that the Defendants were not amenable to treatment in a juvenile facility.   In addition to the expert testimony, the evidence submitted included recordings of the Defendants reveling in their violence acts and continuing to be engaged in violence while being held at the Frederick County Adult Detention Center.

There were eight residents charged in the April 8, 2018 riot, each involved to a different degree.  One co-Defendant, Ali Tarek, 19, appeared before Judge William R. Nicklas on September 10, 2018, and entered a guilty plea to a First Degree Assault on a staff member, Second Degree Assault on another staff member, and Rioting.  Tarek was sentenced to a total of 50 years at the Department of Corrections, with all but 5 years suspended, and 5 years supervised probation upon release.    Diego Glay, 19, who became involved after the first attack on staff had begun, pled guilty to Riot and Second Degree Assault on Sept. 27, 2018, and was sentenced to 10 years with all but 18 months suspended and supervised probation upon release.

The State was represented by Chief Assistant State’s Attorney Laura Wilt.

J. Charles Smith, III

State’s Attorney for Frederick County, Maryland

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FREDERICK – Tracy Frost, 46, of Frederick, MD appeared for sentencing today in the Circuit Court for Frederick County, Maryland for the charges of conspiracy to distribute heroin and distribution of heroin.  The Honorable Julie R. Stevenson Solt, concurring with the State’s recommended sentence, ordered Mr. Frost to serve 40 years of incarceration in the Division of Correction, suspending 15 years, thus making the term of active incarceration 25 years.  Upon release, Mr. Frost will be placed on 5 years of supervised probation.

On September 28, 2017, the Frederick Police Department responded to a residence on East Second Street in downtown Frederick for a suspected fatal drug overdose.  The scene indicated that the male victim had ingested heroin.  A subsequent autopsy revealed that he had died of a mixed drug intoxication, including heroin and fentanyl.  The Frederick Police Department’s Drug Enforcement Unit opened an investigation into the matter.  Investigators were able to confirm that Tracy Frost of Frederick and Antonio Little of Frederick, had conspired to supply heroin to the victim the night before.  A detective subsequently made contact with Mr. Little and Mr. Frost and, acting in an undercover capacity, purchased heroin directly from Mr. Frost on October 5, 2017.

On June 27, 2018, Mr. Frost plead guilty to two counts, conspiracy to distribute heroin and distribution of heroin, regarding his conduct in both incidents.  Mr. Little entered an Alford plea of guilt to distribution of heroin in July.  Mr. Little will appear for sentencing before the Honorable William R. Nicklas later this month.

The State was represented by Assistant State’s Attorney Colleen K. Swanson.

FREDERICK – On August 27, 2018, Ronald Dixon, 56, of Germantown, MD appeared before the Honorable William R. Nicklas, Jr. for sentencing.  To date, Mr. Dixon has continued his defiance of his child support obligation, and his arrears are nearly $55,000.  He was sentenced to a total of 28 years in the Division of Correction, with all but 5 years suspended and will be placed on 3 years of supervised probation upon release.

On August 2, 2018, following a jury trial and deliberations of less than ten minutes, the jury returned a guilty verdict against Ronald E. Dixon, Jr. of Germantown, Maryland.  Mr. Dixon was convicted of:  Constructive Criminal Contempt; Non-Support of a Minor; Forgery-Private Document; Possession of a Forged Document; and Issuing a False Document.

The State proved that Mr. Dixon was in criminal contempt of his order to pay child support and criminal non-support of his now 7 year old minor child.  Mr. Dixon has never paid child support, and at the time of charging, his arrears exceeded $44,000.  The State further proved that Mr. Dixon counterfeited an MVA compliance letter, normally issued by the Frederick County Department of Social Services, in order to obtain his driving privilege after it had been suspended for child support non-compliance.  Mr. Dixon altered a previously issued letter, and forged the signature of his case agent.  He then issued the document at the MVA, and his privilege was fraudulently reinstated.

The State was represented by Assistant State’s Attorneys William Prunka and Richard Gibbs.

Charles Smith, III

Frederick County State’s Attorney