Three Charged Thanks To Buddy

OCEAN CITY - Three Ocean City men have been charged with burglarizing a north-end residence last May after a fourth suspect in the case recently detailed their involvement in the crime in exchange for a softer plea bargain.

Ricky Allen Bylan, 20, of Ocean City, was arrested on an outstanding warrant last week for his involvement in the burglary of a residence on North Heron Drive last May 13. Bylan now joins Eric Hewitt, 19, and Joshua Ray, 19, both of Ocean City, as suspects in the burglary after the three were identified by a fourth suspect, Douglas Ransley, 21, of Berlin, who agreed to identify his co-conspirators in exchange for a plea bargain reached in December. Ransley was sentenced to six months in jail with all but 14 days suspended after pleading guilty to a lesser third-degree burglary charge.

Ransley was arrested in May after OCPD detectives were able to connect him to a robbery at a vacant north Ocean City home after he showed up at police headquarters the next day looking for his car, which had been impounded and was found with stolen goods inside. Ransley was arrested and charged with first-, third-, and fourth-degree burglary as well as numerous counts of theft and malicious destruction.

However, investigators knew Ransley had not acted alone and when it came time for his trial in December, prosecutors entered a plea bargain with the suspect in exchange for information about his cohorts in the crime. On Jan. 16, Ransley sat down with OCPD detectives and laid out the details about the burglary including the names of his conspirators.

Hewitt, Ray and Bylan were later arrested and charged with the same counts faced by Ransley.