Woman who worked for Feds as financial management expert recruited for tax fraud scheme; sent to slammer where she can help inmates file phony tax returns

Tonia Patrice Lawson, age 43, of Middle River, Maryland, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 10 months in prison and ordered to pay restitution of $546,785. Jasmine L. Thomas, age 26, of Baltimore; and Kiara A. Skipwith, age 24, of Parkville, Maryland, also pleaded guilty to their roles in the scheme. Thomas and Skipwith were each sentenced to three years’ probation and ordered to pay restitution of $90,579 and $199,722, respectively.

Berlin: DUI crashes, fatal wrecks and arrests highlights Maryland State Police activity

SNOW HILL, MD. Maryland State Police report that on June 29, 2014, at approximately 0247 hrs, troopers responded to the area of 3323 Snow Hill Road for a reported single vehicle collision. Upon the arrival of troopers it was determined Michael Cieslak of Washington DC was traveling on Snow Hill Road in a 2006 Mercedes when he failed to maintain control of the vehicle. The Mercedes left the roadway and struck a utility pole. Cieslak was treated on scene, but troopers noted evidence of impairment. Cieslak failed field sobriety testing and was placed under arrest. He was transported back to the Berlin Barrack, and he agreed to take an evidentiary breath test yielding a result of 0.17 grams of alcohol per 210 ml of breath. Any breath sample of 0.08 or above is deemed to be impaired in the State of Maryland.

In Cold Blood

SALISBURY, MD. — The violent invasion of the home of Donald G. “Donnie” Mariner on April 16,, 2014 by one or more suspects ended with the death of Mariner and the brutal beating of another resident of the home. Now an arrest has been made in that murder.

The Maryland State Police have released sketchy details about the day of the murder but to date have yet to identify the other victim, fearing for that man’s safety.

What takes a man who has done time for armed robbery, theft and assault to the point of moving from robbery to murder?

What evil lurks in the heart of man is an age-old question.

Home Invasion: police charge Paul A. Tatem with murder of Donald G. Mariner; assault of housemate

Tatem is charged with the murder of Donald G. Mariner, 72, who was found dead in his home in the 27000-block of Pemberton Drive, Salisbury, early on the morning of April 16, 2014. Mariner and his housemate, a 50-year-old man, had both been assaulted when suspect(s) entered the home during an apparent home invasion. Mariner was pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy determined Mariner was murdered and died from blunt force injuries. The younger victim survived.

Bomb Thweatt earned cash from 3 banks

Detectives from the Montgomery County Police –Major Crimes Division have arrested and charged Morris Kenneth Thweatt, age 46, of the 7600 block of Maple Avenue in Takoma Park, for the robberies of three banks in Silver Spring.

Investigation by Montgomery County Police – Major Crimes detectives revealed that during these bank robberies, the male suspect, later identified as Thweatt, would enter the bank and pass a note to the teller stating that he had a bomb. Thweatt would then display a device wrapped in foil, claiming it was a bomb.

This guy was no Brad Bishop – Killer confessed to offing wife in phone call to Montgomery cops

Detectives from the Major Crimes Division continue to investigate the murder of a 47-year-old Gaithersburg woman. Today they are releasing the identities of the suspect and victim. Cola Winbone Beale, 51 years old, is being held by law enforcement authorities in Norfolk, Virginia on the strength of a Montgomery County warrant charging him with the murder of his wife, June Carlita Beale, 47 years old.

Truck driver saved a truck-load of books from burning on I-95

Fire engines from the AFC responded in the southbound direction. Upon arrival, Firefighters found a tractor and trailer with fire in the rear of the tractor. Fortunately, the tractor-trailer driver was able to disconnect the trailer and pull the tractor away before the fire extended to the trailer, which was carrying books.

The fire on the tractor was extinguished. There was minor damage to the interior of the trailer. Firefighters initially used a thermal imaging camera to look for heat without damaging the trailer. The camera detected high heat present so the inside of the trailer was opened and checked for hidden fire. The fire appeared to have started near the braking area of the tractor. No injuries were reported. Several lanes of northbound I-95 were blocked until the tractor and trailer were removed from the scene.

More than a little was whacky about the tobaccy at Bonsai Pipe and Tobacco

NEWPORT NEWS, VA— 07/29/2014—Salvatore Lopiccolo, age 35 of Newport News, Virginia, was sentenced today to 57 months in prison and three years of supervised release for his participation in a drug conspiracy.

Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen.

Lopiccolo was indicted by a federal grand jury on November 14, 2013, and on April 21, 2014, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute analogues, cocaine, cocaine base, methylone, marijuana, psilocybin and drug paraphernalia.

Talbot deputies snare Christopher Lee Baker and Tracy Earl Sherwood making Heroin delivery on Black Dog Alley

Easton, Md. – According to Talbot County Sheriff’s Lt. John Bollinger, on July 14, Deputies from the Talbot County Sheriff’s Office stopped a motor vehicle on Black Dog Alley near Dover Road for suspicion of drug activity.

An investigation had begun several weeks earlier directed at Christopher Lee Baker, 28, of 9658 Cordova Road, Easton, Md., who was believed to be transporting heroin into Talbot County from Delaware.