Sex offender violation

On Feb. 29, deputies from the Talbot County Sheriff's Office arrested a 31-year-old Cambridge man. On Feb. 22, the District Court of Talbot County issued an arrest warrant charging him with entering a school property as a registered sex offender.

Deputies and school officials became aware the man, a registered sex offender in Maryland, entered school property during an awards ceremony. Deputies and school officials were able to positively identify Joshua Russel Phillips through school surveillance video and verified Phillips was a registered sex offender in Dorchester County.

This violation was identified as a direct result of the cooperation between a citizen, the Talbot County Sheriff’s Office School Resource Officers and the Talbot County School system. Phillips was transported to the Talbot County Central Booking facility for processing and an initial appearance before a District Court Commissioner. Phillips was ordered held at the Talbot County Detention Center without bond. 

Foot pursuit/CDS violation

On Feb. 28, at approximately 1:45 p.m., Cambridge Police Department (CPD) officers conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle for a tag violation on the Talbot County side of the Malkus Bridge. Officers contacted the driver and front passenger of the vehicle.

The driver was identified as a 34-year-old man from Chestertown, and the passenger was identified as a 26-year-old man from Chestertown. During a course of the traffic stop, a CPD K9 Unit was on location and conducted a K9 sniff of the vehicle for the presence of a Controlled Dangerous Substance (CDS), which resulted in a positive alert for the presence of CDS.

During a search of the vehicle, items of paraphernalia were located. Officers then attempted to search the 26-year-old man, who pulled away from officers and attempted to flee. Officers pursued him on foot through a field and wooded area.

The man attempted to enter the Department of Natural Resources Park Management building on Bolingbrook Point Drive but was unable, to due to the door being locked. Officers apprehended the subject after Taser deployment.

Due to actions observed and demonstrated by the suspect and the deployment of a departmental issued Taser, Talbot County EMS was requested to the scene, from where they transported Smith to the University of Maryland Shore Medical Center at Cambridge (UMSMC).

While at UMSMC, the man was allegedly disorderly in the hospital and attempted to discard CDS he had concealed on his body. Officers recovered a quantity of crack cocaine.

The man was later transported to CPD for processing and his initial appearance before a Court Commissioner. He was later turned over to the Dorchester County Detention Center on No Bond.

Duwanyae Smith, 26, was charged with the following:

• CDS Possession with Intent to Distribute Narcotic
• CDS Possession Not Cannabis
• Obstruct and Hindering
• Tampering with Evidence
• Resist Arrest
• CDS Possession Paraphernalia
• Burglary 4th Degree Attempt

Aredelle Jones, 34, was found to not possess a license and was released on a traffic citation for Driving Without a License.

Shots fired

A 23-year-old Cambridge man has been arrested and charged with firearm violations.

On March 1, at approximately 1:31 p.m., CPD officers responded to the 800 block of Phillips Street for a “Shot Spotter Alert” reporting multiple shots being fired. Upon the officers’ arrival, they located several houses and a vehicle that had been struck.

Spent shell casings from multiple calibers of handguns were located, including 9mm, 10mm and .45 calibers. Information obtained from witnesses revealed that there were four subjects involved and a white vehicle with Delaware tags that left the area.

A K9 track was conducted by a CPD K9 Unit, which lead to the area of Allen Street, which is where further information was obtained that the subjects had left in the white vehicle. CPD received further information that a vehicle matching the description was observed parking on Willis Street, where fpur male subjects exited wearing dark clothing, with one wearing blue latex gloves.

Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office deputies (DSO) who were in the area of Greenwood Avenue observed the subjects in the 500 block of Greenwood Avenue, where they entered an apartment. Two of the subjects were then observed exiting the apartment and walking back towards Greenwood Avenue.

CPD officers and detectives were arriving in the area and observed the subjects in question. As officers exited their patrol vehicle, a male subject started to flee on foot. He was observed by the detective to discard a handgun on the ground.

CPD Officers pursued the subject on foot through the 500 block of Greenwood Avenue until he was apprehended with the assistance of DSO. The discarded handgun, a Glock-20 10mm, was reported stolen in Hartford County.

The subject was identified as Isaiah David Foster, 23 years old from Cambridge. Foster was found to be prohibited from possessing a firearm due to previous convictions.

He was later transported to CPD for processing and his initial appearance before a Court Commissioner. Foster was turned over to the Dorchester County Department of Corrections on No Bond. Foster was charged with the following:

• Illegal Possession Firearm
• Handgun on Person
• Possession of Stolen Firearm
• Resist Arrest
• Obstruct and Hindering

During the incident, there was a high presence of law enforcement in the Greenwood Avenue area. The Dorchester County Public Schools were notified to reroute any bus traffic.

This is an on-going investigation, and the Cambridge Police Department is requesting the assistance of the Community with any information relating to the incident. Contact the Cambridge Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division at 410-228-3333. All callers can remain anonymous.

The Cambridge Police Department would like to thank the Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office, Maryland State Police and Dorchester County EMS for their assistance.