Frederick County Grand Jury Returns 12 Indictments On Friday

Some were domestic violence cases.

Frederick, Md (KM) A domestic violence and abduction case was handled by the Frederick County Grand Jury on Friday. The panel indicted Junior Anthony Francis, 40. of Walkersville for 1st-degree assault, 2nd-degree assault, 3rd-degree sex offense, 4th-degree sex offense and kidnapping a child under 16.

State’s Attorney Charlie Smith says on Saturday, June 20th, the Sheriff’s Office responded to the 6100 block of Murray Terrace in Frederick for a domestic incident. “Once again, they found it involved strangulation. And then, after that, the defendant had taken her one-year-old baby. Hence the kidnapping charge,” he says.

The Sheriff’s Office was able to locate Francis, who is not the baby’s father, and the baby in Gaithersburg after pinging his phone. Francis was taken into custody.

Another domestic violence case involved Carlos Padilla-Moran, 39, of Frederick, who was indicted on 1st- and 2nd-degree assault. “This is a Frederick County Sheriff’s Office case. They went over for a report for a domestic off of Darlington Court in Frederick,” says Smith. “They found basically the defendant came home drunk, and began to strangle his wife over a disagreement they had.”

Antoine Darnell Whims, 33, of Frederick, was charged with one count of 1st-degree assault, and two counts of 2nd-degree assault. “The victim stated the defendant this time told her she was going to be shot. He threatened to shoot her with a handgun. And when they {the police} responded there, they were able to see that she was strangled and also was struck with a handgun,” says Smith.

In another case, Evelyn Gomez-Gutierrez, 43, of Frederick, was charged by the Grand Jury with one count of 2nd-degree rape, and two counts of 3rd-degree sex offense. Smith says in this case, the victim is a 14-year-old boy. He says Frederick Police began their investigation after being told by the boy’s doctor that “he had sexual relationship with a friend of his mom’s, the defendant. FPD was contacted. . They did a thorough investigation and then based upon that, charged Evelyn Gomez-Gutierrez with the 2nd-degree rape as well as the 3rd-degree sex offense charges,”: Smith says.

There was also a drug case involving two men who were indicted as co-defendants. Christopher David Emad, 40, of Frederick, and William Everett Morris, 52, of Woodsboro, are both charged with a long list of narcotics offenses involving heroin, fentanyl and methamphetamine. . Smith says this case was investigated by the Western Region of the Maryland State Police. :”They were working a narcotics investigation into a suspected dealer in Woodsboro. They actually followed them down to Baltimore city where they re-up their supply,” he says. “As they were coming back, troopers in the Frederick Barrack assisted investigators and they stopped them on I-70 westbound.”

And he says State Police found a lot of drugs. “They did a canine scan. It alerted positive. And then they did a search of the vehicle, and they saw large quantities of heroin and meth,” Smith says.

In another incident, Christopher Emad was also indicted for possession with intent to distribute and possession of heroin, distribution and possession with intent to distribute a fentanyl/ Xylazine mix, and possession of methamphetamine for an incident which occurred on May 20th, 2020.

Other indictments included:

*Mohammed Rownak, 40, of Frederick, whose charged with 1st-degree assault and 2nd-degree assault for an incident which occurred on August 31st, 2021.

* Christian Allen James, 25, of New Market, Md, whose charged with 2nd-degree rape, 3rd-degree sex offense and 2nd-degree assault for an incident which occurred on November 4th, 2017.

*Dijon Torrence Minor, 24, of Potomac, Md., whose charged with 1st-degree assault, 2nd-degree assault and 4th-degree sex offense for an incident which occurred on July 2nd, 2021.

Indicted as co-defendants are Steven Daniel Webster, 33, of Gaithersburg, Md, and Donovan S. Bynes, 32, of Berwyn Heights, Md. for an incident which occurred on September 4th, 2021.

Webster is charged with possession of a firearm with a prior crime of violence conviction; illegal possession of a regulated firearm; possession of counterfeit currency; having a magazine of ten rounds or more; having a loaded handgun in a vehicle;  having a handgun in a vehicle; having a loaded handgun on his person; having a handgun on his person; illegal possession of ammunition; possession of narcotics (Cocaine); failure to display license on demand; two counts of driving while suspended; driving without a license; and displaying expired license plates.

Bynes is charged with possession of a firearm with a prior crime of violence conviction; illegal possession of a regulated firearm; having a magazine of ten rounds or more; having a loaded handgun in a vehicle; having a handgun in a vehicle; having a loaded handgun on his person; and illegal possession of ammunition.

The indictments move these cases to the Circuit Court where trial dates will be scheduled.

The State’s Attorney’s Office says an indictment is a charging document, and all defendants are innocent until proven guilty.

By Kevin McManus