Press Releases

FREDERICK – This morning in Frederick County Circuit Court, Hestina Lakeisha Harris, 24, of Jefferson, MD entered a guilty plea to 1st degree murder. Judge Scott Rolle sentenced Harris to life, suspending all but 60 years to serve. As part of the plea agreement, the State maintains the right to veto any modification of the sentence. Harris must serve 5 years of supervised probation upon release, with all standard conditions. “This has been a delicate situation where the victim’s family is also the family of the defendant. Quite frankly, we just haven’t seen eye to eye. Our obligation to the community always prevails, which is why we were not willing to go below the 60 year sentence,” stated State’s Attorney Charlie Smith. “Deputy State’s Attorney Kirsten Brown and Assistant State’s Attorney Erin Pearl worked very hard to gain a conviction in the first trial, and short of this substantial sentence, were willing to do so again,” Smith stated further.

On December 22, 2014 at 2:37 pm, the Frederick County Emergency Communication Center began receiving 911 calls regarding a stabbing in the 5400 block of Burkittsville Rd., Burkittsville, MD. Police and EMS were dispatched to the home.

The victim, Lillie Marie Morris, age 67, was discovered in the front yard of her home. A passing motorist saw Ms. Morris lying face down on the lawn attempting to lift herself off the ground. The

motorist turned around in her vehicle and parked in the Morris driveway. She honked her horn in an attempt to get the attention of someone in the home believing at first it was a medical emergency. She exited her car and attempted to call 911 as she approached the victim, Ms. Morris. The defendant, Hestina Harris, then exited from the home yelling in what the witness described as a “growl”. The motorist advised her to go inside and call 911. Witnesses stated that at no time did Harris render aid to the victim.

Lillie Morris was pronounced deceased by EMS personnel on scene, and her body was transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore where the manner of death was determined to be homicide. The cause of death was sharp force injuries to several of her major organs.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 24, 2020

FREDERICK –Thomas Mackey, age 34, of Middletown, entered an Alford Plea to Aggravated Animal Cruelty before the Honorable Judge Dwyer of the Frederick County Circuit Court.  The State argued for a suspended sentence but Judge Dwyer sentenced the Defendant to Probation before Judgement and ordered three years supervised probation with the special conditions of mental health treatment, random checks by Animal Control, and prohibition to owning new animals for the period of probation.

On December 2, 2018, Frederick County Sheriff’s deputies and Animal Control officers were dispatched to the 5400 block of Urbana Pike for a 911 call reporting physical abuse of a guinea pig. Witnesses stated that Mackey was sitting inside a parked vehicle in the parking lot striking the animal and inserting his finger into its rectum. Medical evaluation found injuries to the guinea pig consistent with what witnesses and the defendant described to officers.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant State’s Attorney Catherine McDermid.

Frederick, MD – Frederick County Circuit Court Judge Julie Stevenson Solt issued a written opinion today, following a day-long waiver hearing on Wednesday February 12^th for the 16-year-old respondent in the attack on John Marvin Weed September 20^th at the Great Frederick Fair. The 16-year-old is charged with two counts of 2^nd degree assault. During the waiver hearing last week, Chief Prosecutors Laura Wilt (Juvenile), and Rebecca Clinton (Violent Crimes), made argument for the State.  A waiver hearing is a hearing in which the Court decides whether to grant or deny the State’s request to waive the juvenile to adult court jurisdiction.    The State filed a waiver petition on both juveniles which alleges that based on a number of factors the particular youths should be tried as adults, rather than in juvenile court.  The factors the court considers include the seriousness and nature of the offense, public safety, age of the youth, mental and physical condition, and the youth’s alleged amenability to juvenile rehabilitative measures.

In her written opinion, Judge Solt denied the State’s waiver motion concluding that the 16-year-old respondent’s case should remain in the juvenile system. State’s Attorney Charlie Smith stated that, “Last week in a closed proceeding we argued for waiver, the defense argued against.  Despite this being a closed juvenile proceeding, I am still allowed to inform the public about the scheduling or result of any step in any litigation.  With that said, today Judge Solt issued an opinion denying our motion to waive the 16 year old into the adult system.  I cannot comment on the substance of her findings in her ruling.  Given the ruling, all further litigation with regard to this case will remain in juvenile, and by law, will remain confidential as long as the proceedings are closed.”

FREDERICK, MD –  This morning in Frederick County Circuit Court, Robert Antoine Shirley Jr., 21, of Silver Spring, MD pled guilty to Conspiracy to Commit 1^st Degree Assault, Unlawful Taking of a Motor Vehicle, and Violation of Probation. The Honorable Judge Julie Stevenson Solt sentenced Shirley to 10 years, suspending all but 12 months in the Frederick County Adult Detention Center for Conspiracy to Commit 1^st Degree Assault. He was sentenced to 18 months consecutive for Violation of Probation. Following the completion of his incarceration, he must serve 3 years supervised probation, have no contact with the victims, and pay restitution for damage to a vehicle.

On June 20, 2019, Frederick Police responded to a firearm discharge in the 1300 Block of Taney Avenue. Officers were advised that an individual carrying a backpack walked up to a group of subjects standing in a parking lot and proceeded to open fire with a handgun. The subjects fled on foot to the rear of the Frederick Shopping Center, located at 1305 7^th Street. Robert Shirley was one of four individuals witnesses and surveillance video captured as the group that was fired upon. After a brief verbal altercation near the McDonald’s between Shirley’s group and several males in a red Cadillac, shots were fired again, this time an exchange between the groups. Bullets struck several cars in the parking lot. Shirley was identified by witnesses and surveillance video as the driver leaving the scene in a silver Honda CR-V along with three male passengers. Detectives recovered the vehicle abandoned a short time later in the area of Glen Rock Drive. Upon further investigation, the vehicle had been reported stolen earlier that day. Detectives observed Shirley walking in an area nearby, and took him into custody after a short foot pursuit. The keys to the CR-V were recovered in Shirley’s pocket when he was apprehended.

In response to today’s plea and sentence, State’s Attorney Charlie Smith commented, “this was a dangerous shootout between two groups in a crowded shopping center. We are glad no one was seriously hurt in this incident.”

The State was represented by Deputy State’s Attorney Kirsten Brown and Assistant State’s Attorney Will Prunka.

Robert Antoine Shirley Jr.

Frederick – On December 20^th, the Frederick Grand Jury indicted Ernesto Cesar Torres, age 69, of Frederick on 98 counts of sex crimes charges. In a Circuit Court bond review this afternoon, Judge Theresa Adams ordered Torres held without bond. The 98 counts relate to allegations from an additional 19 victims. All of the victims were juveniles at the time of the alleged offenses. A pre-trial conference is scheduled for January 24^th at 9am.

Torres was sentenced December 23^rd to one year in the Frederick County Adult Detention Center for 4^th Degree Sex Offense. He is currently serving that sentence. On April 26^th, 2019, the 18-year old female victim, who was a lifelong patient of Dr. Torres, went to his office on Thomas Johnson Drive for a follow-up appointment to discuss her anxiety medication. It was during this appointment that the victim reported being sexually assaulted by Torres. Torres waived his right to a jury trial in late October. Judge William R. Nicklas Jr. presided over a three-day bench trial and ultimately on November 1^st, found Torres guilty of 2^nd Degree Assault and 4^th Degree Sex Offense. A 4^th Degree Sex Offense merges with 2^nd Degree Assault and therefore the maximum penalty in this case was a 1 year sentence. Torres will receive credit for time served on home detention since May 7^th.

Additionally, Torres is scheduled for a trial to begin March 30^th. In that case, a combined 49 sex crimes charges are alleged involving 12 victims.

An indictment is a charging document alleging criminal conduct. All defendants are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.