Maryland Natural
Resources Police Blotter
Anne Arundel County – On Tuesday, July 24, Charles Eugene
Conklin III, 46, of Baltimore was sentenced to six months in jail for
abandoning a vessel in Tanyard Cove on Marley Creek.
The Maryland Natural Resources (NRP) charged Conklin in August of 2006
after he abandoned his 41-foot cabin cruiser in Tanyard Cove. After a
postponement and two failures to appear for trial, Conklin was found
guilty on May 21, in Anne Arundel County District Court. The judge ordered
Conklin to remove the vessel from the waters of the state within 60 days
and scheduled a July 24, sentencing hearing.
On July 24, the vessel had not been removed and the judge again found
Conklin guilty and sentenced him to 6 months in jail at the Anne Arundel
County Detention Center.
The judge suspended all but 30 days of the sentence. After serving the 30
days, Conklin must remove the vessel within the next 30 days or face
returning to jail. He also was given 6 months unsupervised probation. The
judge set a $16,000 cash appeal bond for Conklin if he wanted to appeal
the judgment.
Cecil County – On Thursday, July 26, at 7:12 p.m. the Maryland
Natural Resources Police recovered the body of a Pennsylvania man from the
waters of the Sassafras River near Fredericktown.
NRP responded along with the Cecil County Sheriff’s Office to Skipjack
Cove after receiving a report that John P. Jester, 72, of Fort Washington,
Pa. was missing. Jester had driven from Pennsylvania to Skipjack Cove
where he kept his 36-foot sailboat. Jester’s body was recovered from the
water by NRP along side his docked vessel. His body was transported to the
Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore for an autopsy. NRP
continues to investigate the incident however; foul play is not suspected
at this time.
Cecilton Volunteer Fire Company and the Cecil County Sheriff’s Office
assisted NRP with the incident.
Charles County – On Wednesday, July 25, at 1:15 a.m., the Maryland
Natural Resources Police Tactical Response Team arrested Jeremy Michael
Plemons, 26, of Marbury for breaking into a boat at the Smallwood State
Park marina.
From December 2006 through July 24 of this year, Smallwood State Park has
had over 25 incidents involving burglary, theft and malicious destruction
of property. From those incidents, over $8,000 worth of equipment and cash
had been stolen from the park and private individuals who stored vessels
at the park’s marina. The NRP Tactical Response Team set up surveillance
on the area and apprehended Plemons as he exited a vessel at the marina
with a CD receiver in hand.
Later on that afternoon, the NRP Criminal Investigation Unit executed a
search and seizure warrant on Plemons residence and recovered more items
as evidence. Plemons is being held on $5,000 bond at the Charles County
Detention Center. At this time, he has been charged with theft less than
$500, burglary in the second degree, possession of burglary tools,
trespassing and malicious destruction of property. NRP continues their
investigation and additional charges are pending.
NRP was assisted by the Maryland State Police and the Charles County
Sheriff’s Office.
Garrett County – On Monday, July 23, the Maryland Natural Resources
Police charged Brandon William Robinson, 18, of Swanton, Bruce Adam Deal,
18 and a 17-year old boy, both of Oakland with drugs and weapon violations
on Maple Glade Road in Swallow Falls State Park.
NRP was patrolling the park and observed a pickup truck stopped in the
middle of the roadway with the 17-year old standing outside of the truck.
Once the boy noticed the officer’s marked patrol vehicle, he jumped into
the truck and started to back up the roadway at a high rate of speed. NRP
stopped the truck and observed one of the passengers trying to conceal a
rifle.
NRP searched of the vehicle and seized as evidence, a loaded .22 caliber
semi-automatic pistol, a .22 caliber rifle, two compound bows, a bag of
suspected marijuana, two smoking pipes, rolling papers, two tree stands
and .22 caliber ammunition.
The three were charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance
(CDS), marijuana, possession of CDS paraphernalia, possession of an
alcoholic beverage by a person under 21 years of age and possession of a
weapon in a state park. Robinson and Deal were released by a Garrett
County District Court Commissioner on their own personal recognizance. The
17-year old was held over night by the Department of Juvenile Services for
a hearing Tuesday morning.
Queen Anne’s County – On Wednesday, July 25, at 7:43 p.m., the
Maryland Natural Resources Police arrested a Grasonville man on multiple
criminal and traffic charges at the Queen Anne’s County public boat docks
on Wharf Drive.
NRP responded by boat to the area after receiving a report of a domestic
disturbance occurring on a vessel docked at one of the slips. NRP observed
John Edward Clopein, 35, of Grasonville leaving the area in a pickup
truck. The officer made contact with a female individual on the boat that
had visible injuries. She refused medical treatment.
While the officer was interviewing the female, Clopein returned twice to
the scene in his truck. The first time, he saw the officer and fled the
scene again. The second time, the officer hid behind a park vehicle and
was able to apprehended Clopein before he could flee the scene again. He
was transported by the Queen Anne’s County Sheriff’s Office to the
Maryland State Police Centreville Barrack. Clopein took a breath test,
which showed a blood alcohol concentration of .16 percent.
NRP charged Clopein with using a dangerous weapon with intent to injure;
second-degree assault; reckless endangerment; alcohol endangerment;
disorderly conduct; littering; driving a vehicle while under the influence
of alcohol; driving a vehicle under the influence of alcohol per se;
driving a vehicle while impaired by alcohol; driving a vehicle while
impaired by drugs and or alcohol; driving on suspended license and
negligent driving.
He was taken before a Queen Anne’s County District Court Commissioner and
released on his own personal recognizance with the understanding he was
not to have any additional contact that night with the female victim.
