Calvert County State’s Attorney’s Office – 2021 Year in Review

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Calvert County State’s Attorney’s Office (SAO)

2021 Accomplishments

 

  1. Significant Prosecutions
    1. 4 teens found guilty and sentenced for committing hate crimes at Calvert High School.
    2. David Harold Johnson sentenced to 2 consecutive terms of life imprisonment for 2020 rape and murder.
    3. Dru Michael Sultzaberger sentenced to 17 years incarceration for 2019 shooting.
    4. Craig Langrall, former Calvert County lawyer, sentenced to active incarceration for felony theft scheme and required to pay restitution.
    5. Matthew James Baker convicted of aggravated animal cruelty and sentenced to 2 years incarceration.
    6. Criminal jury trials resumed following COVID shutdown and Brian Cullen Sheridan convicted of sex abuse of minor and sentenced to 24 years imprisonment.
    7. Christopher Fuller convicted of auto manslaughter and received 6 years of active incarceration.
    8. Wilbur Richard Hawkins convicted of 2 counts sex abuse of a minor and sentenced to 18 years incarceration.
  2. Community Outreach
    1. Sponsored summer internship with student from Northern High School
    2. Sponsored booth at the Calvert County Fair.
    3. SAO participated in numerous community events to include: National Night Out, National Crime Victim’s Rights Week, Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Human Trafficking Awareness Month Red Sand Project, Calvert County Chamber of Commerce State of the County breakfast.
    4. State’s Attorney Robert Harvey was guest speaker at several Homeowner’s Association meetings, neighborhood watch meetings, and other Calvert County events.
    5. Created program with Calvert County Public Schools to permit criminal justice students to shadow attorneys in District Court.
    6. Robert Harvey spoke to “home-schooled” students at Day of Law event.
  3. Training
    1. Provided monthly updates on developments in criminal law and procedure to Md. State Police, Barrack U, and to Calvert County Sheriff’s Office.
    2. Created mentorship program within SAO that paired junior attorneys with senior attorneys in prosecution of illegal handgun cases in the Circuit Court.
    3. Participated in Standard Field Sobriety training for Calvert County Sheriff’s Office rookie officers
    4. Provided instruction to Calvert County Sheriff’s Office rookie officers on role of State’s Attorney’s Office in criminal justice system.
    5. Assistant State’s Attorney (ASA) Lee Bell attended week-long training on forensic evidence sponsored by National District Attorney’s Association (NDAA); ASA Sierrah Beeler attended Trial Advocacy Training put on by the Maryland State’s Attorney’s Association (MSAA) and Human Trafficking Prosecution training by MAGLOGLEN; support personnel Teresa Weeks and Tammie Terrell attended staff administrative training sponsored by MSAA; and attorneys attended training at the MSAA Summer Convention in Ocean City, MD.
  1. Technology
    1. Created a 3-person unit (1 attorney and 2 digital media specialists) to review, process, and redact all police body-worn camera videos and thereby fulfill our legal obligation to provide them to defense counsel in a timely fashuon.
    2. Established Calvert County State’s Attorney’s Office Facebook page.
    3. In conjunction with Calvert County government implemented Executime automated payroll system for SAO employees thereby eliminating the need for paper recordkeeping.
  2. Diversion Programs
    1. In cooperation with Calvert Behavioral Health, created a Youthful Offender Diversion Program in SAO District Court Division, to permit young, non-violent, first-time offenders an opportunity to keep their records clean if they successfully complete a 6-week counseling program.
    2. Continued to actively participate in Circuit Court Adult Treatment Program, which graduated 33 individuals who had undergone a minimum of 18-months of counseling and intensive court supervision. All of these individuals were drug and alcohol free at the time of graduation.
  3. Awards and Appointments
    1. ASA Tammy Lafferty recognized by Optimist Club of Calvert County in Respect for Law ceremony.
    2. State’s Attorney Robert Harvey appointed by Governor Hogan to Maryland Sentencing Guidelines Policy Commission.
    3. Robert Harvey appointed as Secretary to Maryland State’s Attorney’s Association and Board of Directors, Calvert County Bar Association.
  4. Child Support
    1. SAO Child Support Division ranked #1 in Md. for percent of child support collected.
  5. Policies and Procedures
    1. Developed and issued written policy guidelines on the following topics: grand jury practice, disposition of expunged records, liaison with victims and witnesses, police use of deadly force, prosecution of criminal and serious motor vehicle cases, and charging decisions and plea negotiations.
  6. Personnel
    1. Patrick Cathro hired as ASA.
    2. Tammie Terrell and Allison Baker hired as Victim Advocates.
    3. Sierra Shrawder promoted to Digital Media Specialist.
    4. Morgan Marquardt and Christine Wells hired as front desk receptionists.

 

Robert H. Harvey, Jr.

State’s Attorney