Calvert County State’s Attorney’s Office – 2023 Year in Review
CALVERT COUNTY STATE’S ATTORNEY’S OFFICE (SAO)
2023 ACCOMPLISHMENTS
- Statistical Data
a. In 2023, the State’s Attorney’s Office filed criminal charges in 135 cases in the Circuit Court for Calvert County. Most, if not all, of these cases involved felonies. In addition, the State prosecuted 70 cases in which a jury trial or appeal had been requested in the District Court, and one case that was transferred from St. Mary’s County, for a total of 206 new Circuit Court prosecutions in 2023.
b. The District Court Division handled a total of 2,301 cases in 2023. Of these, 291 cases involved charges of impaired driving.
c. The Child Support Division continued to achieve outstanding results in conjunction with the County’s Child Support Administration. Calvert ranked #1 in Maryland in the amount of child support collected and arrears paid. As a result of our combined efforts, a total of $9.13 million was disbursed in 2023 to the children of Calvert County.
d. The State’s Attorney’s Domestic Violence Unit handled a total of 261 cases in 2023. The majority of these cases were prosecuted in the District Court and involved charges of assault, violation of a protective order, or destruction of property.
- Significant Prosecutions
a. Curtis Lee Millsap, II, of Lothian, MD, received a sentence of 13 years imprisonment, with 7 years of active time, for assault and weapons charges. In April of 2022, Millsap brandished a firearm at another individual in a parking lot adjacent to Sunderland Elementary School.
b. Alvin Lee Redmond of Lusby was sentenced on January 9, 2023, to 50 years incarceration, with 30 years active, for 2 counts of sexual abuse of a minor. Redmond abused the victim over a period of many years beginning when she was just 7 years old.
c. On January 30, 2023, Joshua Ryan Gantt was sentenced by Judge Mark S. Chandlee to 25 years imprisonment, with 10 years active, for rape and sexual abuse of a minor. Gantt molested the victim, a family friend, over a 4 year period. Gantt will be required to undergo lifetime supervision as a registered sex offender.
d. Samuel Alston Spence, 28, of District Heights, MD, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for his role as the getaway car driver in a robbery that occurred at the Walgreens in Prince Frederick.
e. Following a 2-day jury trial, Patrick Allen Portzen, Jr., of Lusby, was convicted on March 8, 2023, of felony weapons charges. Portzen brandished a firearm during an altercation at the Appeal convenience center. He received an active sentence of 7 years imprisonment.
f. On April 20, 2023, a 3-judge panel sitting in Upper Marlboro affirmed the 10-year sentence imposed on Joseph Martin Blankenship for second degree assault. Blankenship was convicted by a jury in 2021.
g. Following a week-long jury trial in April, Terrance Kenneth Yancey was convicted of manslaughter and firearms violations in the shooting death of Tyree Richardson in Dunkirk. He was sentenced by Judge Chandlee to 18 years of active incarceration.
h. Former youth football coach, Moshe Michael Imel, 53, of Owings, pleaded guilty to 3 felony charges relating to sexual abuse of a minor. Imel enticed young boys into his home and bribed them with gifts to engage in sexual activities. On August 4, 2023, Imel was sentenced to 40 years in prison.
i. The State’s Attorney’s Office continued its strong record in prosecuting animal cruelty cases. In August, 2023, Edward Stanley Williams, 54, of Huntingtown, was sentenced to 4 years incarceration, and ordered to pay $26,693 in restitution, for his role in a dog-fighting ring. Carol Van Wie, 77, was ordered to pay $67,000 in restitution to Calvert County for the mistreatment of over 40 rabbits that had been entrusted to her care.
j. Ronald Joseph Garraway, 60, of Chesapeake Beach, pleaded guilty to assault and firearms charges in connection with a barricade situation that occurred at his home in August, 2022. An evaluation conducted by the Maryland Department of Health found that Garraway had a history of mental illness. He was committed to a secure mental health facility.
k. On July 12, 2023, Randell Joseph Wright, of Temple Hills, MD, was convicted by a Calvert County jury of burglary in connection with a break-in that occurred at the Jewelry Exchange in Dunkirk. Wright received 40 years in prison, with 8 years of active time.
l. Several individuals were convicted in connection with the May 1, 2023, robbery of the M&T Bank in Dunkirk. Silas M. Moore of Washington, DC, received an active sentence of 15 years incarceration. Denise Blacknell received 8 years. Cedric Moore received 9 years.
m. On November 15, 2023, a Calvert County jury convicted Terance Albert Tracy of Annapolis, of criminal trespass. Tracy, a self-styled “First Amendment Auditor,” entered the lobby of the Calvert County Health Department and began filming people coming and going. When asked to leave by the County Health Officer, Tracy refused and was arrested. Tracy received an active sentence of 90 days incarceration and was ordered not to return to the Health Department.
n. Nam Hong Nguyen, 40, of Sunderland was convicted of attempted rape and sex abuse of a minor and sentenced to 45 years in prison, with 15 years of active time. Nguyen was also required to submit to lifetime registration as a sex offender.
- Diversion Programs
a. The Calvert County State’s Attorney’s Office expanded the services available to military veterans involved in the criminal justice system. Veterans admitted to the Adult Treatment Program (drug court) and the mental health docket will now be identified and referred to the Maryland Commitment to Veterans Program for treatment and other services. In 2023, 2 veterans were offered these services.
b. The Calvert County Adult Treatment Program graduated 25 individuals in 2023. These individuals completed a minimum of 18 months intensive substance abuse treatment and therapy. In order to graduate, the program participants are required to demonstrate complete sobriety over an extended period of time.
- Awards
a. Assistant State’s Attorney Allison S. Walton received the Calvert County Optimist Club’s Respect for Law Award. Walton was recognized for her management of the Circuit Court Adult Treatment Program.
b. Assistant State’s Attorney Anthony Navalaney received a $1,000 scholarship from the Maryland State’s Attorney’s Association to be used for training purposes. In December, Mr. Navalaney attended a 3-day seminar on homicide investigation and prosecution in Ft. Lauderdale, FL.
c. The State’s Attorney presented its Detective of the Year award to Calvert County Sheriff’s Detective Edward “Ted” Yates. The award ceremony was held on February 23 at St. John Vianney Church.
- Policies and Procedures
a. The Office issued a policy setting out the steps to be taken in deciding whether to seek a penalty of life without parole in a given case. The policy requires the decision to be made by the State’s Attorney based on the facts and circumstances of each individual case.
b. Criminal Procedure Article, Section 6-220(c), permits an individual to plead not guilty and receive a probation before judgment disposition with the consent of the State. A policy memo was issued requiring all such proposed case dispositions to be approved by a District or Circuit Court supervising attorney.
c. Finally, on September 11, 2023, procedures were implemented to obtain medical records needed for case investigations. The procedures ensure that relevant primary concerns are protected.
- Training
a. The office continued its in-house training program for attorneys. In July, a representative from the Md. Attorney General’s Office gave a presentation on prosecutorial immunity.
b. From June 14-16, 2023, 19 staff members attended the Maryland State’s Attorney’s Association (MSAA) summer conference for 3 days of legal training.
c. Four attorneys attended the Arson for Prosecutors training in September sponsored by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms in Beltsville.
d. ASA Rebecca Cordero attended a training program in Ocean City in March on human trafficking investigations.
e. ASA Bryan Jones and ASA Elsie Coale attended the MSAA Trial Advocacy program in Linthicum Heights, MD.
f. On November 13, 2023, Victim/Witness Advocate Kristy Longfellow participated in the Ethics for Advocates program in Marriottsville, MD.
g. From February 13-17, 2023, Victim/Witness Advocate Tammie Terrell attended the Roper Victim Assistance Academy in Marriottsville.
h. Finally, in December, ASA Anthony Navalaney and ASA Allison Walton attended the Complex Homicide Trial Strategy course in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. The program was sponsored by the National District Attorney’s Association.
- Community Outreach
a. The State’s Attorney’s Office continued to be an active participant in Calvert County community activities.
b. Attorneys made presentations at career day functions at Calvert Middle School and Calverton School.
c. Attorneys made presentations at the criminal justice classes in all 4 Calvert County high schools.
d. The State’s Attorney’s Office once again sponsored a booth at the Calvert County Fair.
e. On August 1, 2023, staff members attended the National Night Out ceremonies in numerous Calvert County neighborhoods.
f. On October 3, 2023, State’s Attorney Bob Harvey participated in a televised presentation to the Board of County Commissioners on domestic violence.
g. State’s Attorney Harvey represented the office in various State-wide and Calvert County functions, to include the Juneteenth Celebration at Jefferson Patterson Park, the Maryland Crime Victims Resource Center in Upper Marlboro, and the Day of Law Ceremony at the County Courthouse. Harvey also served on the Board of Directors of the Maryland Crime Victims Resource Center and the Maryland Commission on Criminal Sentencing Policy. He was also an active participant in the Calvert County Policy Accountability Board.
h. The State’s Attorney’s Office hosted the 33rd annual Statewide Memorial Service for Crime Victims and their Families. The program offered crime victims and survivors the opportunity to unite and share their experiences with victims services professionals and public officials. Dawn Collins, the mother of murder victim Lt. Richard Collins, III, was the featured speaker.
i. Harvey spoke at the Dunkirk Homeowners Association and made a presentation at the substance abuse awareness event sponsored by the Calvert Alliance Against Substance Abuse (CAASA).
- Personnel
a. On Thursday, January 5, 2023, Robert Harvey was sworn-in for a 4-year term as Calvert County State’s Attorney.
b. ASA Montra Martin was promoted to the Circuit Court and ASA John Navalaney joined the District Court staff.
c. Jordyn Jones was hired as the front desk receptionist in the District Court Division.
d. The State’s Attorney’s Office welcomed the services of “Dougall,” a comfort dog who is available on a case-by-case basis to provide emotional support to crime victims.
