Caught Between Survival And The Law: Lexington Park Man Charged With Theft And Escape

LEXINGTON PARK, Md. – A Lexington Park man faces multiple charges after a series of incidents involving theft and a failure to comply with a court order. Justin Michael Gibson, 34, was charged with second-degree escape on January 2, 2025, after failing to report to the St. Mary’s County Detention and Rehabilitation Center as required. This charge follows an earlier conviction for theft under $100, which led to the court order.

According to court records, Gibson was found guilty on December 23, 2024, of stealing $46.73 worth of merchandise from the 7-Eleven on North Run Drive in Lexington Park. Surveillance footage from December 16, 2024, showed Gibson entering the store wearing a brown jumpsuit, concealing items—including personal hygiene products and milk—and leaving without paying. The items included Dove body wash, DUDE wipes, and Axe body spray. Gibson’s identity was confirmed through a comparison of Maryland MVA records with the store’s security footage.

As part of his sentencing for the theft charge, Gibson was ordered to serve a ten-day suspended sentence and report to the detention center by 10:00 AM on January 2, 2025. However, detention center officials confirmed that by 4:00 PM that day, Gibson had not arrived, nor had he made any contact. Attempts to locate him at his residence on Chapman Drive and his place of employment at Chipotle were unsuccessful. Phone numbers linked to Gibson went unanswered, and his father, when contacted, stated he last saw Gibson at the house earlier that morning.

The theft charge and subsequent failure to report to detention have compounded Gibson’s legal troubles. He now faces a second-degree escape charge, which has added to the pending theft case. Both charges are misdemeanors under Maryland law.

Gibson is scheduled to appear in St. Mary’s County District Court on February 14, 2025, for a preliminary inquiry related to the theft. He is also set to face trial for the escape charge on February 18, 2025.

Gibson was located and arrested on the evening of January 2, 2025, and is currently held without bond. Both cases remain open, and prosecutors are continuing to pursue the charges.

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