(March 19, 2015) The Worcester County State’s Attorney’s office has yet to decide how it will proceed with regard to the two juveniles who were charged along with an adult in connection with the nighttime vandalism of more than 30 cars and three businesses in downtown Berlin on Jan. 25.
“We did not reach a decision,” Assistant State’s Attorney Billy McDermott said this week. McDermott, who is handling the case, said the possibility of trying the juveniles as adults would depend “on information we have not yet received.”
Ocean City resident Jordan Alexandria Denton, 18, and two unnamed Ocean Pines juveniles aged 16 and 17 were charged with 39 counts of malicious destruction with the damage total estimate at more than $11,000 and one count of theft valued at less than $100.
Denton was scheduled for a hearing on Friday, March 13 but a new trial date is scheduled at the district courthouse in Snow Hill on, June 19.
An investigation by the Berlin Police Department unearthed 36 separate victims, including the Town of Berlin, in the vandalism spree.
Along with the town, which had one vehicle, 10 electric meters and four trashcans damaged, three buildings and 33 additional cars were spray painted during the incident that spanned a dozen streets: Ann Court, Ann Drive, Branch Street, Buttercup Court, Harrison Ave, Henry’s Mill, Littleworth Court, North Main Street, Pitts Street, Powell Circle, West Street and William Street.
Police said victim statements, citizen tips, interviews and reviews of surveillance cameras led law enforcement to the suspects. The investigation lasted several weeks, partly because police had difficulty contacting all the victims and collecting damage assessments.
No motive for the crimes has been determined and police said no additional information regarding the juveniles would be released to the public.
The majority of the spray paint on vehicles was removed without permanent damage. Police said all of the affected buildings have been repainted, meters replaced and trashcans have been removed.
“We did not reach a decision,” Assistant State’s Attorney Billy McDermott said this week. McDermott, who is handling the case, said the possibility of trying the juveniles as adults would depend “on information we have not yet received.”
Ocean City resident Jordan Alexandria Denton, 18, and two unnamed Ocean Pines juveniles aged 16 and 17 were charged with 39 counts of malicious destruction with the damage total estimate at more than $11,000 and one count of theft valued at less than $100.
Denton was scheduled for a hearing on Friday, March 13 but a new trial date is scheduled at the district courthouse in Snow Hill on, June 19.
An investigation by the Berlin Police Department unearthed 36 separate victims, including the Town of Berlin, in the vandalism spree.
Along with the town, which had one vehicle, 10 electric meters and four trashcans damaged, three buildings and 33 additional cars were spray painted during the incident that spanned a dozen streets: Ann Court, Ann Drive, Branch Street, Buttercup Court, Harrison Ave, Henry’s Mill, Littleworth Court, North Main Street, Pitts Street, Powell Circle, West Street and William Street.
Police said victim statements, citizen tips, interviews and reviews of surveillance cameras led law enforcement to the suspects. The investigation lasted several weeks, partly because police had difficulty contacting all the victims and collecting damage assessments.
No motive for the crimes has been determined and police said no additional information regarding the juveniles would be released to the public.
The majority of the spray paint on vehicles was removed without permanent damage. Police said all of the affected buildings have been repainted, meters replaced and trashcans have been removed.