Two officials with the Prince George's County Sheriff's Department were recently indicted on conspiracy charges as a result of the theft of more than $20,000 from the Prince George's County Deputy Sheriff's Association, Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #112. Wendy Tyler and Captain Nancy Ridgely were the president and first vice president of the union from September 2005 to October 2007. During that time, they are alleged to have embezzled money from the union through overpayment and using a union credit card for personal purchases.

As president of the union, Wendy Tyler was entitled to quarterly checks totaling $10,400; instead, she received 13 checks totaling $22,124. First vice president Ridgely approved and signed all but one of the checks. Tyler is additionally accused of using a union credit card to make over $10,000 in personal, nonunion purchases.

Ridgely's Maryland criminal defense attorney proclaims his client's innocence in the conspiracy case. He told reporters, "My client adamantly denies these allegations and will vigorously contest these charges." Neither Ridgely nor Tyler responded to media requests for comment regarding the indictment.

Prince George's County Sheriff's Department officials clarified that the money allegedly embezzled by Tyler and Ridgely is not government money, but rather union funds.
Tyler and Ridgely have both been placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the trial.

This article is presented by Price Benowitz, LLP, a criminal and DUI defense firm serving Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia. For more information, please visit our Virginia Criminal Attorney website or Washington DC Criminal Lawyer website.

Sometimes, people find themselves charged with the same type of crime again and again. When standing with a repeat offender at sentencing, a Maryland criminal attorney often sees that a history of prior convictions can remove any leniency a judge might consider granting. The recent sentencing of a Prince George's County man convicted of drug charges is a perfect example.

Rodney Erik Bryant, 32, pleaded guilty in October to possession of narcotics with intent to distribute and to possession of a firearm by a felon. Bryant's plea came in response to his December 2008 arrest after police raided his home based on a tip from a confidential informant. As they searched his home, police discovered a number of illegal substances and products, including several hundred grams of cocaine, over a kilogram of marijuana, heroin, drug paraphernalia, and a pistol.

At his sentencing, Judge Alexander Williams, Jr., of the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, noted Bryant's criminal history and record of prior convictions and enhanced his sentence to 20 years in prison for his drug possession and firearm convictions. Bryant's Maryland criminal lawyer had no comment on the judge's decision.

Bryant's criminal history dates back over 16 years to his juvenile record. He has been previously convicted of possession with intent to distribute as well as other drug-related charges, armed carjacking, and assault.

While some judges are inclined to show leniency to first offenders, they often have little patience for repeat offenders. When a judge notes that a person has a lengthy criminal history or that he or she has been repeatedly convicted of the same crime, the judge may assume that the criminal history is an indication that the accused is likely to continue to commit the offense. A Maryland criminal attorney knows that sentencing guidelines are just that--guidelines--and that a judge has discretion to show leniency or to enhance penalties after a guilty verdict.

Advancing technology and popular social networking sites such as Facebook have opened up a whole new world in the criminal justice system. Previously unheard of computer crimes, such as teen sexting and cyber-bullying, are becoming commonplace. Video sharing sites have seen exponential growth not only in family videos, but also in videos of "pranks" and other criminal activity. Every Maryland criminal attorney has seen a case where video evidence makes up the bulk of the prosecution's case. When such a video goes viral, the general public sees that evidence as well, possibly making it more difficult to find an unbiased jury if a case goes to trial. Social media sites have made it easy for teens to post video of their antics, not realizing the consequences of documenting potentially criminal behavior and broadcasting it worldwide over the internet.

Recently, the beating of a student at Bowie High School in Prince George's County was posted to Facebook, launching a police investigation into the assault.

The video shows one student knocking another to the ground and repeatedly kicking and punching him while other students either watched or ignored the incident. Only one student is seen striking the victim, but during the attack, someone stole the student's backpack and iPod. A spokesman for Prince George's County schools says that other students have been identified in planning and executing the assault, and all students involved face expulsion.

The father of the victim wants to press criminal charges. The Prince George's County sheriff's office plans to review not only the Facebook video, but also footage from the school's security cameras. If authorities find enough evidence to prosecute, the attacker's Prince George's County criminal lawyer will need to closely review the video to determine whether the evidence is as convincing as prosecutors believe.

Video evidence is becoming rampant in prosecuting criminal cases. From dashboard cameras in police cars to security surveillance cameras to cell phone video from bystanders, cameras are everywhere. However, in the hands of a competent Maryland criminal lawyer, that video evidence is not necessarily as concrete as it might first appear. Poor image quality may cause misidentification of suspects. Inaccurate date stamps may affect an investigation. Video editing may misrepresent a person's actions. However, with the ability of evidence to go viral in a matter of minutes, people would be wise to consider their actions in the presence of a camera.

Two breaking stories about forced prostitution in Prince George's County have police officers encouraging hotel owners and staff to be alert for signs of human trafficking. As officers launch an investigation, Prince George's County criminal lawyers will be keeping an eye on the developing situation.

Police began asking for hotel owners' help in identifying potential human trafficking after two arrests in just 48 hours. The first arrest came as a result of a tip that a 12-year-old girl was being used as a prostitute at the Knight's Inn. When police arrived, they found the girl, a runaway who was reported missing from Washington DC in May. They arrested Derwin Samuel Smith, 42, who was later charged with three counts of human trafficking, two counts of prostitution and false imprisonment.

Allegedly, Smith met the girl while she was working as a prostitute in Washington DC. He then transported her to other locations, including Prince George's County. The girl claims that Smith took the money the girl made as a prostitute, and when she wanted to quit, he held her against her will.

News of this arrest led to another tip, which reported possible forced prostitution at a hotel just half a mile from the Knight's Inn. When police arrived at the Garden Inn, they found a 19-year-old woman who had been abducted at knifepoint from a party in late April. The woman reported that a 16-year-old girl and another woman were also staying at the hotel. The police are investigating their participation, but believe the teenager was also a prostitute. In this case, Gabriel Dreke-Hernandez, 23, was arrested and charged with first- and second-degree assault, six counts of human trafficking, prostitution, kidnapping and false imprisonment.

The arrests launched a countywide initiative to crack down on prostitution and human trafficking in Prince George's County. Police are monitoring activity in and around local hotels, and they have asked hotel staff to be alert for signs of human trafficking, including paying for a hotel room in cash and refusing maid service. However, a Prince George's County criminal lawyer knows that such acts are not necessarily signs of criminal activity; they could simply be signs of not wanting to use a credit card or of desiring undisturbed rest.

One public official said that if hotel staff does not cooperate with the investigation, "they're abetting criminal behavior." Prince George's County criminal attorneys will continue to monitor the investigation to ensure proper handling of cases leading to arrest and criminal charges.