Year: 2021

In conjunction with Calvert County Public Schools, the State’s Attorney’s Office is offering criminal justice students the opportunity to “shadow” attorneys in Court as they prosecute criminal and serious motor vehicle cases.  Students from all four Calvert County High Schools have signed up to participate in November and December.

State’s Attorney Robert Harvey hopes that this program will evolve into a long-term commitment, giving students the chance to learn about the role of prosecutors in the criminal justice system.  Students interested in participating should contact their criminal justice instructors.

Calvert County State’s Attorney Robert Harvey announced that on November 5, 2021, Wilbur Richard Hawkins, Jr., 39, received 18 years incarceration for the sexual abuse of two minor children, ages 8 and 13.

On March 16, 2020, the victims reported the abuse to detectives at the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office.  A one-party consent phone call was initiated between the victims and the Defendant.  During the call, Hawkins admitted to the abuse.  He was arrested and ultimately confessed to Detectives William Rector and Wayne Wells.

Upon his release from prison, Hawkins will be required to register as a sex offender for life and will be on lifetime supervision by the Maryland Division of Parole and Probation.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant State’s Attorney Rebecca N. Cordero.

Robert Harvey, Calvert County State’s Attorney, announced that on November 5, 2021, Marco Joseph Decesaris, III, 72, of Prince Frederick was sentenced to 6 months incarceration for felony theft.  Decesaris, the owner of Marco’s Quality Storage Buildings, LLC, took money from victims after promising to build them sheds.  The sheds were never delivered and the victims were not able to get their money back.

Prior to sentencing, the State’s Attorney’s Office was able to obtain restitution for each of Decesaris’ victims.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant State’s Attorney, Benjamin G. Lerner.

In 2020, 56 Marylanders lost their lives to domestic violence, according to a report published by the Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence.  This is the highest number of fatalities recorded since 2007.

Fortunately, Calvert County had zero domestic violence-related deaths in 2020.  Nevertheless, domestic violence remains a serious problem in our County.  In 2019, the State’s Attorney’s Office handled 343 DV cases.  From July 1, 2020 to September 14, 2021, we handled 382 cases.

The Calvert County State’s Attorney’s Office has a Domestic Violence Unit assigned to prosecute these kinds of cases.  It is currently staffed by one attorney, one victim advocate and one investigator.  In addition, an attorney in the District Court Division has been designated to handle a DV docket once per month (there are two dedicated DV dockets in District Court each month).  The Unit may be contacted at 410-535-1600 x2369.

Calvert County State’s Attorney Robert Harvey has requested funding for another full-time domestic violence prosecutor in his 2023 budget submission to the Board of County Commissioners.

On October 25, 2021, Christopher Fuller, 35, of Dunkirk, MD, was sentenced to 33 years incarceration, with all but 6 years suspended, for the crimes of manslaughter by motor vehicle, causing life threatening injury while under the influence of alcohol, and second degree assault.  Fuller was also placed on 5 years of supervised probation and ordered to complete 100 hours of community service through Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD).  The sentence, imposed by the Honorable Mark S. Chandlee, was the top of the range recommended by the Maryland Sentencing Guidelines.  Fuller pleaded guilty to the charges in July.

On behalf of the State’s Attorney’s Office, Robert Harvey, Jr., Calvert County States Attorney, wishes to extend his deepest sympathies to the victims of these crimes. He also wishes to commend Senior Deputy Hardesty, the Calvert County Crash Reconstruction Team, and the entire Calvert County Sheriff’s Office for their efforts in the investigation of this matter.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant State’s Attorney Christopher J. Monte.

Robert Harvey, Calvert County State’s Attorney, announced that Joseph Martin Blankenship, 36, of Lusby, was sentenced on October 15, 2021, to 10 years incarceration for the crime of second degree assault.  Blankenship also received a 2-year consecutive sentence for a violation of probation.  The sentences, imposed by the Honorable Andrew S. Rappaport, were the maximum available under the law and exceeded the range suggested by the Maryland Sentencing Guidelines.

In announcing the sentence State’s Attorney Harvey noted:  “This was a case of domestic violence perpetrated against an innocent 19-year old victim.  It is appropriate during October, Domestic Violence Awareness Month, that the public know that the State, and the Court, take these matters very seriously.”

The case was prosecuted by Deputy State’s Attorney James Zafiropulos.

Calvert County State’s Attorney Robert Harvey today announced that on October 12, 2021, Rudi Dominique Caprese Sewell, 34, of Oxon Hill, was convicted in Calvert County Circuit Court of illegally transporting a handgun in a vehicle.  Sewell was sentenced to 3 years incarceration, with all but 6 months suspended and 3 years of probation.  Home detention was authorized.

On June 5, 2020, State’s Attorney Harvey issued a new policy requiring illegal handgun cases to be prosecuted in the Circuit Court.  Because the Circuit Court is bound by Maryland Sentencing Guidelines, sentences tend to be more uniform and severe.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant State’s Attorney Sierrah Beeler.

Calvert County State’s Attorney Robert Harvey announced that George Andrew Taylor, 36, of Waldorf was sentenced on September 27, 2021, for the crime of third degree sex offense.  Taylor received a sentence of 10 years, suspended down to 5 years of active incarceration.  The sentence was made to run consecutively to a sentence Taylor received in Charles County.  All told, he will be required to serve a total of 15 years.  Taylor pleaded guilty in August to having inappropriate sexual contact with a family friend.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant State’s Attorney Rebecca N. Cordero.

At a time when some are attempting to silence victims of domestic abuse, I’m working to ensure that their voices are heard and their stories get told.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month.  To mark this occasion, the Calvert County State’s Attorney’s Office, in conjunction with the Commission on Women and the Center for Change, is participating in a program called “The Number 1 Thing.”  What is the Number 1 Thing that I can do in my home, in my neighborhood, or in my workspace to put an end to domestic violence?  It can be as little as speaking to your children, to your neighbors, or to your coworkers about the problem of domestic abuse.  It can be providing support, financial or otherwise, to your local domestic violence shelter.  Frankly, it can be anything you can think of.

Whatever it is, take steps to put your ideas into action.  Domestic violence is a serious problem in America.  It affects an estimated 1 in 4 women and 1 in 9 men.  It can take the form of physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, or economic abuse.  It affects all age and economic groups.

On Thursday, October 7, 2021, at 6:00 p.m., we will be participating in a Domestic Violence Awareness Community Event at the Circuit Courthouse in Prince Frederick.  Please take the time to attend this event and learn what you can do to address the problem of domestic violence in our County.

Thank you.

Calvert County State’s Attorney Robert Harvey announced that, on September 15, 2021, Kenneth David Bonolis, 58, of St. Leonard, was convicted by a jury of animal abuse.  In 2019, Bonolis had been observed by employees of the Linda L. Kelley Animal Shelter striking his dog in the parking lot.  With the assistance of Calvert County Animal Control and the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office, the animal was seized and rescued.  Sentencing is scheduled for November 8, 2021 in the Calvert County Circuit Court.  The defendant is facing a maximum penalty of 90 days incarceration.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant State’s Attorney Christopher J. Monte.