Cops And Courts – October 14, 2016

Cops And Courts – October 14, 2016
Social Issues Government

Theft Arrest For Going Through Cars

OCEAN CITY — A Millsboro man was arrested on theft and drug possession charges last weekend after allegedly swiping credit cards and cash from a vehicle.

Around 2:24 p.m. last Sunday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer responded to the area of 8th Street and Baltimore Avenue for a report of a suspicious individual looking into vehicles. The suspect, later identified as Jaquan Adkins, 26, of Millsboro, approached the officer and pulled several credit cards and a driver’s license from his pocket and reportedly said, “Hey officer, I just found these credit cards lying on the road over there.”

After Adkins consented to a search, the officer found two small folded wax paper Baggies stamped with the phrase “new arrival” on them. According to police reports, Adkins told the officer, “That’s just heroin.” A further search revealed $118 in cash on Adkins’ person.

According to police reports, when told he was being taken into custody, Adkins asked the officer, “What, I’m being arrested for having two bags of heroin?” Adkins reportedly told police he had taken the credit cards and driver’s license from a car. The officer observed the credit cards had the victim’s name on them and one of the cards also included the name of a nearby business.

A check at the business revealed the credit cards and license belonged to the store’s manager. A check of the store’s exterior surveillance video revealed Adkins allegedly going through the victim’s vehicle. Based on the evidence, Adkins was charged with theft, trespassing and possession of heroin.

Server Uses Swiped Card Information In Theft

OCEAN CITY — An Ocean City woman was charged with identity theft and fraud this week after police concluded an investigation into her alleged activities as a server at a north-end restaurant during the summer.

Back in July, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) detective received a complaint from the manager at the Denny’s restaurant in north Ocean City after hearing from two separate guests about fraudulent charges on their debit cards. The manager informed police a suspect, identified as Dianna Butler, 46, of Ocean City, had been the customers’ server in each case.

The manager told police he confronted Butler about the transactions, which had not been swiped, but instead entered manually into the credit card machine. At the time, Butler reportedly told the manager the guests had handed her cards with the numbers scratched off and that the cards had sticky notes taped to them with the credit card numbers and expiration dates.

In September, the OCPD detective interviewed Butler, who admitted writing down the debit card numbers from the two guests. Butler also admitted using the debit card numbers she had written down to pay for other customers who had paid in cash, pocketing the money.

A review of one of the victim’s bank statements showed fraudulent charges totaling nearly $184 including individual transactions of $82.62, $36.66, and $64.45. A review of the second victim’s bank statements revealed fraudulent charges totaling nearly $267, including individual transactions of $64.88, $56.68, $44.92 and $100.48. Based on the evidence and her own admission, Butler was charged this week with credit card fraud, identity theft fraud, theft and theft scheme.

Domestic Assault At Hotel

OCEAN CITY — A Connecticut man was arrested on assault charges last weekend after allegedly beating a woman at a resort hotel room.

Around 4:45 a.m. last Sunday, Ocean City police responded to a Boardwalk hotel for a reported domestic disturbance. Hotel staff reported multiple phone calls from guests complaining of yelling and loud noises from an apparent physical altercation. Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers went to the room in question and reportedly heard a female voice yelling, “I can’t wait for them to see how you beat the [expletive deleted] out of me,” and “If you come at me with that knife, they’re going to arrest you.”

The OCPD officers knocked in the door and were met by a female victim who acted surprised to see them, according to police reports. The officers’ observed the victim’s face had a significant amount of blood on it. The officers observed a significant amount of blood on a coffee table in the room. The same coffee table was smashed with its legs broken off. There was also blood on the bed and smeared on the wall next to the bed.

The OCPD officer located the male suspect, identified as Alex Lanni, 33, of Pawtatuck, Conn., on the balcony and he was taken into custody.

When police interviewed the victim, she told the officers nothing had happened and that she had just tripped and bit her lip. However, when the officers reportedly pointed out they knew she was lying, she nodded her head in agreement. When the officers interviewed Lanni about why the room was destroyed and there was blood all over the room, he reportedly told them he did not know about any of those occurrences, according to police reports. Based on the evidence and the interviews with the victim and the suspect, Lanni was arrested and charged with second-degree assault.

Big Fines For Fleeing

OCEAN CITY — An Olney, Md. man, arrested in August on drunk-driving and fleeing and eluding charges, pleaded guilty this week and was fined a combined $1,000.

Around 8:45 p.m. on Aug. 6, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer on patrol in the area of 45th Street observed a driver, later identified as Orlando Amaguana, 23, of Olney, Md., operating a vehicle while talking on a hand-held cell phone. The officer activated his emergency lights and siren and attempted to pull Amaguana over. Amaguana stopped initially in the bus lane at around 38th Street. According to police reports, Amaguana then accelerated southbound on Coastal Highway and fled the traffic stop.

At around 32nd Street, Amaguana turned right off of Coastal Highway into the McDonalds restaurant. According to police reports, several OCPD officers swarmed the area and located the unattended vehicle in the fast-food restaurant parking lot. Officers entered McDonald’s and found Amaguana in a men’s room stall.

According to police reports, the officer detected an odor of alcoholic beverage on Amaguana’s person. Amaguana reportedly told police he was talking to his father on his cell phone while driving and saw the officer’s red and blue emergency lights, but decided to go to McDonalds because he was hungry for a cheeseburger.

Amaguana was administered a battery of field sobriety tests, which he did not pass to the officer’s satisfaction. At that point, he was arrested and charged with driving while under the influence and impaired and for attempting to flee and elude police. On Monday, Amaguana pleaded guilty to driving under the influence per se and was fined $500. He also pleaded guilty to attempting to flee or elude on foot and was fined an additional $500.

Guilty Plea In Burglary

OCEAN CITY — An Ocean City man arrested in August on burglary and other charges after barging into an apartment and then threatening another man first with a broom handle and then a knife pleaded guilty last week and was sentenced to 22 days.

Around 2:30 a.m. on Aug. 25, the Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) responded to an apartment complex near 15th Street for a reported altercation involving a knife threat. According to police reports, the victim and other individuals were sitting at a picnic table near a canal in a common area of the apartment complex when they were approached by a suspect later identified as Nemanja Rosic, 23, of Ocean City.

Rosic approached the group and demanded the victim sell him his beer. According to witnesses, Rosic then became irate and went to a second-floor apartment and began throwing beer containers at the victim. The victim then went into a nearby apartment to get away from Rosic, but Rosic allegedly grabbed a broom and followed the victim into the apartment and began striking him with the broom handle.

After a brief fight, Rosic left the apartment and the victim locked the door. According to police reports, Rosic then entered another ground-floor apartment and emerged with a kitchen knife. Rosic forcefully entered the victim’s apartment and threatened him with the knife. The victim was able to flee the apartment through a back porch entrance and ran down the street. At that point, Rosic exited the apartment and got into a nearby cab that had just dropped other individuals off at the apartment complex. Witnesses described the cab and OCPD officer broadcasted a description of Rosic. A short time later, a cab driver reported dropping off a fare matching Rosic’s description at the 7-Eleven on North Division Street.

OCPD officers responded to the area of the convenience store and found Rosic walking with other individuals near 2nd Street. Last week, Rosic pleaded guilty to fourth-degree burglary and was sentenced to 22 days. He was then given credit for the 22 days he spent in jail awaiting trial.

About The Author: Shawn Soper

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Shawn Soper has been with The Dispatch since 2000. He began as a staff writer covering various local government beats and general stories. His current positions include managing editor and sports editor. Growing up in Baltimore before moving to Ocean City full time three decades ago, Soper graduated from Loch Raven High School in 1981 and from Towson University in 1985 with degrees in mass communications with a journalism concentration and history.