From the Harford County State’s Attorney’s Office:
Joseph I. Cassilly, State’s Attorney for Harford County, announced today the conviction of Demetrius D. Lovelace, Temple Hills, Maryland, for his participation in the murder of Alan Zurita of Havre De Grace, Maryland.
Lovelace was indicted for the murder and the case was tried before a jury beginning on November 2, 2009. The jury began deliberations on November 10, 2009 and returned a guilty verdict on November 12, 2009 for 1st degree felony murder, robbery with a deadly weapon, robbery, attempted robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery and illegal possession of a regulated firearm by a convicted felon.
A pre-sentence investigation was ordered. The sentencing is currently scheduled for January 25, 2010 at 9:30 a.m. before Judge Thomas E. Marshall.
On April 1, 2008, the Maryland State Police discovered the body of Alan Zurita on the shoulder of southbound I-95 prior to the Route 24 exit. Zurita had ...Continue Reading
From the Harford County State’s Attorney’s Office:
BEL AIR, MD- November 12, 2009- Despite the current economic woes the Harford County State’s Attorney collected $18.4 million dollars in child support payments in Fiscal Year 2009. The State’s Attorney’s Family Support Division increased collection by more than $600,000 over FY 2008. This is an increase of over $3 million dollars since FY 2004.
“I am very proud of this extremely successful program,” says State’s Attorney Joseph Cassilly. “In spite of growing unemployment and other economic issues, our Family Support Division went after and increased the dollars that is due our children.”
Cassilly describes the child support effort as a very effective crime prevention initiative. “If parents have the resources they need to raise their children, they can spend more time being parents with their children,” says Cassilly.
The State’s Attorney provides child support enforcement services through an agreement with the Bureau of Support Enforcement (BOSE). ...Continue Reading
Deborah Cassilly has dropped out of the race for two available Bel Air Town Commissioner positions, citing family reasons.
Cassilly is the wife of popular former Harford County Councilman Bob Cassilly, who had to resign from the position when he was called to active military service in Iraq several years ago. He is currently stationed in Iraq on his third one-year tour of duty.
In an e-mail to The Dagger, Cassilly said her concern for the Bel Air area led her to file for candidacy, but later decided that “it is not the right time for myself or for my family.” Cassilly withdrew her candidacy Friday afternoon, hours before the town’s filing deadline.
Remaining candidates for town commissioners are incumbents David Carey and Rob Preston and challengers Brian Adolph, Richard Davis, David Mitchell, and Steve Testerman. The Bel Air Town Election will be held Tuesday, November 3. Polls are open 7 a.m. ...Continue Reading
Bel Air Town Commissioners David Carey and Robert Preston both may have their eyes on bigger political prizes, but before they get a chance to move up the elected office food chain in November 2010, they’ll have to defend their town commissioner seats this November.
Bel Air will hold its municipal election on Tuesday, November 3 this year and, while the town’s elections are fairly mundane (especially in comparison to the City of Aberdeen elections, which are traditionally held the same day), they have produced an impressive crop of town commissioners who have quickly worked their way up Harford County’s political ladder.
Del. Susan McComas, County Councilman Jim McMahan, and former County Councilman Robert Cassilly all got their start as town commissioners in Bel Air.
Carey, a 12-year town commissioner, and Preston, in his seventh year, have both been speculated as candidates for various elected offices in Harford County’s 2010 gubernatorial elections, but ...Continue Reading
Joseph I. Cassilly, State’s Attorney for Harford County, announced today that Glenn Joseph Raynor, 40 years of age, was sentenced today in Harford County Circuit Court to 100 years to serve. The two week long trial in June ended in guilty verdicts on all twelve counts.
Judge Emory A. Plitt Jr. sentenced Mr. Raynor to 80 years to serve in the Division of Corrections on the first degree rape count, 10 years on a first degree sexual offense consecutive to the 80 and 10 years on a second first degree sexual offense consecutive to the 10. The remaining counts merged as lesser included offenses.
The victim gave an emotional and empowering victim impact statement, stating, “I believe that this horrible crime, in the end, has shown me how strong I am,.. (after) the trial I felt broken and beat down…and the hard truth of it is, that I’ll never completely get ...Continue Reading
Jonathan Stewart Dick, age 43, of Bel Air, Maryland, a physical education teacher at Fallston Middle School and high school lacrosse coach was indicted by a Harford County Grand Jury on July 28, 2009 on 18 counts involving Third Degree Sex Offense, Sodomy and Unnatural and Perverted Sex Practices involving a 14 year old male.
The offenses occurred between March 1, 2007 and April 1, 2008. Dick was previously indicted on April 14, 2009 on 6 counts ranging from Sexual Solicitation of a minor to Solicitation for the Production of Child Pornography.
The case is being investigated by the Harford County Child Advocacy Center and anyone with any information concerning this case is urged to contact the Center at 410.638.3294. Please contact Joseph Cassilly, State’s Attorney for Harford County, at 410.638.3500 for further information regarding this case.
(Bel Air, MD) – - Harford County Government and the Office of the States Attorney for Harford County, are recognizing National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, April 26 – May 2, 2009. This year’s theme is “25 Years of Rebuilding Lives: Celebrating the Victims of Crime Act”.
Since 1981, National Crime Victims’ Rights Week has been a time of national remembrance – an opportunity for communities, victims, their loved ones and professionals serving victims to join together and reflect on the hard-won progress achieved in victims’ rights and services and the challenges that many crime victims still face.
Prior to 1984, victims of crime received little public support. The President’s Task Force on Victims of Crime, formed by President Ronald W. Reagan in 1982, found widespread neglect of victims by a criminal justice system indifferent to their needs. Although most states had some form of victim compensation, most programs were poorly funded. Despite ...Continue Reading
Joseph I. Cassilly, State’s Attorney for Harford County, announced the sentence received by Damon Jackson, Havre De Grace, Maryland, today for his participation in the murder of the victim, Alan Zurita, Havre De Grace, Maryland.
On April 1, 2008, the Maryland State Police discovered the body of Alan Zurita on the shoulder of southbound I-95 prior to the Route 24 exit. Zurita had a single gunshot wound to his chest and later died from his injuries at the Upper Chesapeake Medical Center.
Jackson was indicted for the murder and the case was tried before a jury on January 26, 2009. The jury returned a guilty verdict on February 2, 2009 for 1st degree murder, armed robbery, robbery, use of a handgun in the commission of a murder and use of a handgun in the commission of a robbery. The case was tried by Deputy State’s Attorney Scott Lewis.
Decoration for Valor is fictional account of three Americans
during the Vietnam War
(Bel Air, MD – March 27, 2009) – - Harford County States Attorney
Joseph Cassilly has authored his first novel. Decoration for Valor follows the lives of three people during the Vietnam War and the turbulent 1970’s.
The novel focuses on the life of a 20 year-old soldier who is wounded
in Vietnam and returns home crippled from his injuries. The soldier is sent to Walter Reed Hospital and goes on to a veterans hospital to challenge his physical disabilities and his self-doubts.
A young nurse completes her tour of duty in Vietnam and returns
home with her own demons from the war to a husband that no longer knows her.
A 21 year-old student nurse prepares to go to Vietnam while facing
ridicule from her friends. The lives of these three characters intersect and each learns how to triumph over their past and the challenges ...Continue Reading
Mike Geppi, the youngest person ever elected to the Harford County Council, is planning another run for public office – this time aiming for the Maryland House of Delegates, where he would presumably face recently-embattled Del. Susan McComas in the 2010 District 35B Republican Primary.
In a carefully-worded, carefully-timed statement issued today, Geppi and his representative announced that the former District C councilman was contemplating another run, but stopped short of saying which office he would pursue.
