Press Releases

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MARCH 2, 2026

FREDERICK MAN TO 30 YEARS WITH  12 YEARS AND 296 DAYS TO BE SERVED IN THE DIVISION OF CORRECTIONS FOR ATTEMPTED SECOND-DEGREE MURDER, FIRST-DEGREE ASSAULT AND POSSESSION OF A LOADED HAND-GUN

Frederick, MD – On February 24, 2026, in Frederick County Circuit Court, Judge Julia A. Minner sentenced 29-year-old Nyzeir Tacwon Sampson to 30 years with twelve years and 296 days to be served in the Division of Corrections for Attempted Second-Degree Murder, First-Degree Assault and Possession of a Loaded Hand-Gun.  The Defendant entered a binding plea before Judge Minner and will receive 296 days of credit for time served from his initial incarceration date of May 5, 2025.

On April 28, 2025, at approximately 3:15 pm, Frederick Police responded to the area of Hope Circle for a reported shooting.  Upon arrival, police observed multiple subjects congregating in the circle to include the Defendant.  When asked about the reported shooting, the group advised they did not hear or see anything.  Police canvassed the area for evidence and found cartridge cases and a broken window with obvious bullet damage at Peace and Plenty located at 601 E. South Street.  No individuals were injured.  Officers on scene briefly interacted with the Defendant while the evidence was being collected.

Later at approximately 6:40 pm, police were dispatched to Windsor Garden Apartments at 1109 Key Parkway for a second shooting.  Police found victim #1 in the parking lot of the complex.  Victim #2 was located at Frederick Health Hospital, after flagging down an ambulance.  Both male victims had sustained multiple gun shot wounds and were flown to R Adams Crowley Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore, MD.  Both victims were completely uncooperative with the police from the outset of the investigation and refused to provide any information relevant to the incident.

Police reviewed video surveillance from Windsor Garden Apartments which showed a black Jeep Wrangler pull into the complex at 6:34 pm driven by a black male wearing a kelly green hat and construction style reflective vest.  The vehicle is seen slowing down and the driver engaging in a verbal exchange with the victims.  The driver is then seen sticking a handgun out of the driver side window and firing multiple rounds striking both victims before exiting the parking lot.

Detectives with the Frederick City Police Department immediately recognized the driver’s clothing as being consistent with what officers observed the Defendant to be wearing earlier that day in the area of Hope Circle.  A records check was done of the Defendant revealing that he had been previously stopped by the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office for a traffic infraction in a black jeep wrangler registered to his girlfriend.  Body-worn camera footage from the traffic stop was obtained which revealed the black jeep from the stop to be the same vehicle involved in the shooting.  Detectives next obtained additional surveillance footage from the area of Hope Circle which captured the Defendant operating the black jeep wrangler earlier that day while wearing a kelly green john deer hat and construction style reflective vest identical to what was seen worn by the shooter in the Windsor Garden Apartment surveillance footage.

The Defendant was on supervised probation in Washington County for Conspiracy to Commit Armed Robbery at the time of this incident.  The Defendant faces up 10 years of incarceration, in addition to the sentence he received in this case, for his violation of probation.

State’s Attorney Charlie Smith stated, “This is a great outcome for the community especially in light of the  uncooperative nature of the victims. It shows the resilience of police and prosecutors to remove a serious threat to public safety like this defendant.”

Upon release, the Defendant will be placed on five years of supervised probation with all standard conditions.  Special conditions will include no contact with the victims, drug and alcohol evaluation, and the prohibition from returning to Windsor Garden Apartments.

Chief Counsel, Ricky Lewis, represented the State of Maryland.  The investigation was completed by the Frederick City Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division.

Press Contact:

Jacqueline Rottmann

Court Media Relations Officer

301-600-2972

100 West Patrick Street

Frederick, Maryland  21701

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PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

JANUARY 5, 2026

NEWLY APPOINTED DEPUTY STATE’S ATTORNEY JOYCE R. KING SWORN-IN,

 JANUARY 5, 2026 IN THE FREDERICK COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT

Frederick, MD – Today, January 5, 2026, State’s Attorney Charlie Smith appointed Joyce R. King as the new Deputy State’s Attorney of Frederick County, Maryland.  She was duly sworn in before a packed courtroom of elected officials, co-workers and friends.

Earning her Juris Doctor from the University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law in Washington, D.C., as well as her undergraduate degrees from George Washington University and American University: Women in Politics Institute, Ms. King joined the Frederick County State’s Attorney’s Office’s in 2013 and served as Chief Counsel since 2018.  Recently appointed Commissioner for the Maryland Commission for Women this year, Ms. King has also received recognition in 2025 for:

National Filipino American Lawyers Association, Attorney of the Year, 2025

George Washington University, Elizabeth J. Somers Alumni Award, 2025

Frederick County Commission for Women, Woman of the Year, 2025

Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault, Visionary Award, 2025

Ms. King has been cross-designated as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney and pioneered Frederick County’s INTERCEPT (Inter-agency Child Exploitation and Person Trafficking) Task Force in 2023.  In addition, Ms. King also serves as the Legislative Co-Chair of the Maryland Human Trafficking Taskforce, sits on the advisory board for the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children, is a board-member of the National District Attorney’s Association (NDAA) and serves on the Maryland State’s Attorneys Association Legistlative Committee.

State’s Attorney Charlie Smith said, “Joyce is an exceptional lawyer and leader, who will continue the tradition of great Deputy State’s Attorneys here in Frederick County.  I am blessed to have her as my second-in-command.”

A member of the Maryland State Bar since 2012, Ms. King began her service to Maryland under the Honorable Judge John W. Debelius in the Montgomery County Circuit Court in Rockville, MD.

Press Contact:

Jacqueline Rottmann

Court Media Relations Officer

301-600-2972

100 West Patrick Street

Frederick, Maryland  21701

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PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DECEMBER 23, 2025

FREDERICK MAN TO SERVE 25 YEARS IN THE DIVISION OF CORRECTIONS FOR PRODUCTION OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY (x4) AND THIRD-DEGREE SEX OFFENSE

Frederick, MD – Yesterday afternoon, in Frederick County Circuit Court, Judge Joanie Raymond-Brubaker followed the State’s recommendation and ordered 64-year old Wendell Thomas to serve a sentence of 50 years with all but 25 years suspended in the Division of Corrections for Production of Child Pornography (x4) and Third-Degree Sex Offense.  The Defendant pleaded guilty on December 22, 2025 in the Frederick County Circuit Court.

On January 2, 2025, officers with the Frederick Police Department responded for a report of a missing juvenile who was located.  Police made contact with a 15 year old female who reported that the 64-year old Defendant had provided marijuana to her, raped her and forced her to take cocaine.  She reported that the defendant had previously sexually assaulted her on several occasions over the past nine months at the Defendant’s residence and had taken pictures and videos of her naked body.  Police transported the victim to Frederick Health Hospital for a SAFE (Sexual Assault Forensic) Exam.  During a search warrant on the Defendant’s residence, detectives seized the Defendant’s cellphone.  A search of the Defendant’s phone yielded multiple images of child sexual abuse material of the minor victim.

State’s Attorney Charlie Smith said, “This is just evil.  We can only hope this young victim can heal and find a path forward after this man goes to prison for his horrific crimes.  Chief ASA Carpenter and others in our offices will continue to seek very lengthy sentences for those who offend against our children.”

Upon release, the Defendant will serve 5 years of supervised probation through the Sex Offender Management Team with the special conditions of no contact with the victim, no contact with minor children, internet monitoring, polygraph testing and GPS monitoring.  The Defendant must register as a Tier II Sex Offender for 25 years.

Chief Special Victims Unit Lindsey Carpenter represented the State of Maryland.

Press Contact:

Jacqueline Rottmann

Court Media Relations Officer

301-600-2972

100 West Patrick Street

Frederick, Maryland  21701

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PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DECEMBER 8, 2025

FORMER FREDERICK, MD PEDIATRICIAN SENTENCED TO SERVE 30 YEARS IN THE DIVISION OF CORRECTIONS FOR SEX ABUSE OF A MINOR AND THIRD-DEGREE SEX OFFENSE (X3)

Frederick, MD – Today, in Frederick County Circuit Court, Judge William R. Nicklas sentenced 74-year-old Ernesto Cesar Torres, of Frederick, MD to serve 30 years in the Division of Corrections for Sexual Abuse of a Minor and three counts of Third-Degree Sex Offense.  The Defendant, a former pediatrician in Frederick County, MD, faced over 97 criminal charges of sexually abusing dozens of his juvenile patients, spanning four decades.  The Court ordered the indictment be severed by victim and the state proceeded on Count Twenty-Four, Sexual Abuse of a Minor and Counts Twenty-Five, Twenty-Six, and Twenty-Seven, Sexual Offense in the Third Degree, representing three years of sexual abuse from age 9-11.  On March 20, 2025, a Frederick County Circuit Court jury found the Defendant guilty on all counts for victim M.H.  The Defendant will received credit for 2,087 days served in the Frederick County Adult Detention Center.

On May 7, 2019, Frederick Police received a call from the mother of an 11-year-old victim, to report that her child had been sexually abused by the Defendant during a pediatric exam in his office.  The mother told police she brought her child to Torres to treat a mild skin condition, but that her child told her mother Torres made her uncomfortable by placing his hand down her pants and touching her “down there.”  In addition, the child described Torres’ rubbing her stomach repeatedly and kissing her.  The victim told her parents that she felt uncomfortable, so the family changed pediatric practices.  FPD contacted Child Protective Services and the Child Advocacy Center who conducted a forensic interview with the victim.  The victim revealed in a forensic interview that the Defendant slide his hands down her pants and rub the child’s vaginal area with his palm and fingers.  The Defendant was subsequently arrested at his medical practice.

State’s Attorney Charlie Smith said, “This is truly a story of perseverance both by the victim and the prosecutors.  Neither would be discouraged or dissuaded, and now this child predator will spend 25 more years in jail.  What he had to say about the victims at sentencing was one of the most disgusting things I’ve ever endured in a courtroom.  The only thing demonic about this case is this defendant’s actions.”

At Sentencing, M.H. told the Court, “I now can’t trust male authority.  My childhood was taken away from me.”

The mother of M.H. also addressed the Court stating, “For 15 years my children saw him regularly.  I trusted him.  I had no idea what my child was living through.  My trust in him was shattered and I will carry this pain for the rest of my life; I still carry the guilt.”

Upon release, the Defendant will serve five years of supervised probation including COMET supervision and all standard conditions.  Special conditions include, Tier III Sex Offender registration, no contact with the victims or their families and lifetime sex offender supervision on the registry.

Chief Counsel Joyce King and Assistant State’s Attorney Tammy Leache represented the State of Maryland.

Press Contact:

Jacqueline Rottmann

Court Media Relations Officer

301-600-2972

100 West Patrick Street

Frederick, Maryland  21701

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PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NOVEMBER 17, 2025

DEPUTY STATE’S ATTORNEY KIRSTEN BROWN SELECTED AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE MARYLAND STATE’S ATTORNEYS’ ASSOCIATION

CAMBRIDGE, MD – Last week, at the Maryland State’s Attorneys’ Association Board meeting in Cambridge, MD, Deputy State’s Attorney Kirsten Brown accepted her new position as MSAA Executive Director.  The MSAA Board, consisting of 24 State’s Attorneys and five associate members, unanimously voted in favor of Brown stepping into the role.  Ms. Brown, who received her 25-years of service award last month, will retire from the Frederick County State’s Attorney’s Office in December with nearly 27 years as a prosecutor in Frederick County.

Ms. Brown, a graduate of Linganore High School, attended college at Frostburg State University and earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Baltimore School of Law.  She began her legal career as an associate attorney with Attorney Mac Kantruss of Mt. Airy, Maryland.  In the summer of 1999, Ms. Brown turned her focus to criminal prosecution and joined the Frederick County State’s Attorney’s Office.  Over her 26 years of service, Ms. Brown held the positions of Assistant State’s Attorney in District Court, Felony prosecutor with the Special Victims Unit, Chief of District Court, Chief of Violent Crimes and Deputy State’s Attorney.  Ms. Brown has served as an MSAA Faculty Advisor since 2019 in the Trial Ad program and has instructed numerous classes at multiple law enforcement agencies in Maryland.

As MSAA Executive Director, Ms. Brown will support the elected State’s Attorneys across Maryland, prosecute conflict cases, develop specialized training programs for Maryland’s prosecutors, distribute statistical data involving prosecution, evaluate and approve Victim Witness Protection and Relocation Program funding and testify before Maryland legislative committees in Annapolis.

State’s Attorney Charlie Smith stated, “This is a tremendous personal and professional loss for me and my Office.  Kirsten has been an outstanding prosecutor and leader who has done countless good for the citizens of Frederick County.  The silver lining is that she will continue her good work on a State level with MSAA.”

Press Contact:

Jacqueline Rottmann

Court Media Relations Officer

301-600-2972

100 West Patrick Street

Frederick, Maryland  21701

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