Year: 2025

On August 27, 2025, Sean Luke Peterson, 33, was sentenced to 25 years of active incarceration by Judge Mark W. Carmean of the Calvert County Circuit Court for three counts of sex abuse of a minor and production of child pornography.

On September 26, 2025, Peterson was sentenced to a consecutive 25 years imprisonment by Judge S. James Sarbanes of the Wicomico County Circuit Court for six counts of possession of child pornography.

As a result of these two prosecutions, Peterson will be required to serve 50 years in prison.  In addition, he will have to undergo lifetime registration as a sex offender.

In February, 2024, Peterson, then residing in Salisbury, MD, was found to be in possession of a USB drive containing multiple images of child pornography.  Detectives from the Salisbury Police Department were able to identify three of the children depicted in the videos and determine that Peterson produced the images when he lived in Calvert County.

Calvert County State’s Attorney Robert Harvey would like to commend Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Rebecca N. Cordero for her work on this case.  Mr. Harvey also wishes to thank Wicomico County State’s Attorney Jamie L. Dykes, Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Michael Calabrese, and Detective Wells of the Salisbury Police Department.  As a result of the outstanding efforts of all involved in the investigation and prosecution of this matter, a measure of justice was achieved for the victims of this sexual predator.

On September 18, 2025, Mark Travis Bright, 60, of Prince Frederick, was convicted of second degree assault in Calvert County District Court.

The assault occurred on the last day of the 2024-2025 school year. Mr. Bright was operating a school bus when he and an elementary school student had an exchange of words. During that exchange, Bright slapped the student in the face. The slap was observed by other students on the bus.

Bright was sentenced to 180 days in jail, suspended to 20 days of active time, followed by 3 years of probation. As a condition of probation, Bright is prohibited from operating a school bus.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant State’s Attorney Patrick R. Cathro.

On August 1, 2025, Tarvaris Tony Reid, 47, of Owings, Maryland was sentenced to 12 years’ incarceration with all but seven years suspended.  Reid entered a guilty plea on July 25, 2025, for fleeing and eluding uniformed police by failing to stop his vehicle and driving while impaired by alcohol before the Honorable Mark S. Chandlee in the Circuit Court for Calvert County.

The charges arose from the evening of February 26, 2025, when Reid led Calvert County Sheriff’s deputies on a high-speed pursuit through Owings after he refused to stop for a simple speeding violation.  Reid reached speeds in excess of 80 MPH as he travelled through Skinners Turn Road, West Mt. Harmony Road, Fowler Road, Jennifer Lane, and MD Rte. 4.  The pursuit ended at Skinners Turn Road and Industrial Lane where DFC. Claggett performed a PIT maneuver, immobilizing the vehicle.  It was later determined that Reid had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.227 at that time of the incident.

Reid has six prior convictions for driving while under the influence or impaired by alcohol or a controlled dangerous substance.  This is Reid’s second conviction for fleeing and eluding police.  Reid was also sentenced to an additional two years’ incarceration to be served consecutively to his seven-year sentence for violating probation.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant State’s Attorney Allison S. Walton.

On August 11, 2025, Andre Xavier Howe, 18, of Huntingtown, was found guilty of attempted second degree murder, two counts of first degree assault, and use of a firearm, by Calvert County Circuit Court Judge Mark S. Chandlee.  The guilty finding followed the entry of an Alford plea, whereby Mr. Howe acknowledged that the State’s evidence was sufficient to convict him.

The charges stemmed from an incident that occurred on July 14, 2024.  On that date, Mr. Howe armed himself with a handgun and drove to a townhouse community in Prince Frederick to settle a score with another individual.  Once on the scene, Mr. Howe fired random shots into a townhouse injuring two victims.  The intended victim lived in a separate townhouse and was not injured.

Sentencing is scheduled for November 14, 2025.  Howe continues to be detained at the Calvert County Detention Center.  He is facing a maximum sentence of 100 years incarceration, to include a mandatory sentence of five years without parole.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant State’s Attorney Allison S. Walton.

On Thursday, July 24, 2025, the Calvert County Adult Treatment Court (Drug Court) celebrated its 10^th anniversary and graduated 6 individuals from the program.  The 6 graduates spent a minimum of 18 months in the program, underwent weekly drug testing and substance abuse counselling, and left the program with at least 6 months of sobriety.

Since its inception in 2015, 230 individuals have graduated from the Treatment Court program.  Participants have performed over 6,200 hours of community service, primarily through Farming 4 Hunger at Serenity Farm in Benedict, MD.

The Treatment Court is administered by Circuit Court Judge Mark S. Chandlee and is supported by State’s Attorney Robert Harvey and Sheriff Ricky Cox.

On July 18, 2025, Brandon Ross Holbrook, 49, of Reedsville, PA was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for the murder and dismemberment of renowned Washington, DC, photographer Joseph Shymanski.  The sentence was the maximum allowed under Maryland law.  The Honorable Mark S. Chandlee presided over the trial and sentencing.

On September 3, 2023, Holbrook drove 200 miles from his house in Reedsville, PA, to the home of Joseph Shymanski in Huntingtown, MD.  In the driveway of that home, Holbrook shot and killed Mr. Shymanski.  Holbrook then loaded Mr. Shymanski’s body into his pick-up truck and drove back to Reedsville, PA.  Once there, Holbrook dismembered Mr. Shymanski’s body with a power saw, burned the body parts in a metal barrel, and scattered the remains in a clearing near his house.  Holbrook then cleaned his truck with bleach before covering the bed of the truck in chicken organs and fluid.

Statement of Calvert County State’s Attorney Robert Harvey:

“Brandon Holbrook was convicted of the brutal and senseless murder of Joseph Shymanski following a fair and impartial jury trial.  Holbrook thought he could escape the consequences of his actions by dismembering and disposing of the body, but he was proven wrong.  Today’s sentence will ensure that Holbrook spends the rest of his life in prison.  I sincerely hope that the sentence brings some measure of peace and justice to the family and friends of Joe Shymanski.”

“I am extremely proud of the work done in this case by the trial attorneys, Benjamin Lerner and Christopher Monte, and by their victim advocate, Christine King.  This was an extremely difficult case.  There were no eyewitnesses, no murder weapon, no confession, and no body.  Mr. Lerner and Mr. Monte were thoroughly prepared to address each contested issue and presented the State’s evidence in a straightforward and seamless fashion.  As the verdict clearly indicated, they left no room for doubt in the minds of the jurors.  The trial was a masterwork of criminal justice.”

State’s Attorney Harvey and Sheriff Ricky Cox would like to extend a special thanks to Dr. Dennis Dirkmaat and the Applied Forensic Sciences Program Staff of Mercyhurst University in Erie, PA, for their assistance in the recovery and identification of Mr. Shymanski’s remains.

The sentencing for Brandon Ross Holbrook is set for Friday, July 18, 2025, at 1:00 p.m., in Calvert County Circuit Court, Prince Frederick, MD.  Holbrook was convicted of the murder and dismemberment of renowned Washington, DC, photographer Joseph Shymanski.  Holbrook is facing a sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.

Thomas Eugene Harris, II has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the 2024 murder of Shaquille Braxton. The sentence was imposed on June 20, 2025 by Calvert County Circuit Court Judge Mark S. Chandlee.

On February 15, 2024, the victim was on his way to deliver a Valentine’s Day present to his child in Prince Frederick. Harris, who was in a relationship with the child’s mother, stalked the victim and then stabbed him multiple times. The victim succumbed to his injuries. Harris fled to Prince George’s County and disposed of the murder weapon. He subsequently turned himself in to Calvert County Detectives.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant State’s Attorney April N. Brown.

On June 18, 2025, a Calvert County jury convicted Brandy Leigh Leagan, 31, of Prince Frederick, of two counts of child neglect and impaired driving. The jury deliberated approximately 15 minutes.

On the evening of January 21, 2024, Leagan left the Lord Calvert bowling alley with her two minor children in the back seat. After turning onto MD Route 4, Leagan crashed into a guardrail. She was determined to be impaired by alcohol. Fortunately, no one was injured in the accident.

Sentencing is scheduled for July 11, 2025, before the Honorable Mark S. Chandlee. Each count of child neglect carries a maximum punishment of 5 years imprisonment and/or a $5,000 fine.

On June 2, 2025, Thomas Patrick Raley, 40, of Leonardtown, was convicted of possession of fentanyl and theft under $100 in Calvert County District Court.  Raley received a sentence of 1 year incarceration, suspended down to 90 days, followed by 3 years of supervised probation.

The conviction stemmed from an incident that occurred on July 13, 2024.  On that date, Raley was working as a paid paramedic at the Dunkirk Volunteer Fire Department.  Raley removed fentanyl from 3 vials intended for patient use and used the drugs for his own purposes.

Raley is facing similar charges in St. Mary’s County, where he is currently incarcerated.  He is no longer employed as a paramedic in Calvert County.