ST. LEONARD, Md. — Four open criminal cases spanning two Southern Maryland counties haven’t stopped 29-year-old Lionell Victor Garrison of District Heights from adding fresh charges to his record. Garrison now faces new legal trouble for theft, paraphernalia possession, resisting arrest, and identity fraud—cases that stretch from shopping center parking lots to the back of patrol cars.
The most recent incident unfolded in St. Leonard on May 15, when Calvert County deputies arrested Garrison during a warrant service linked to a prior failure to appear. During a search of Garrison’s person, deputies discovered a prescription pill bottle in his pocket containing two red plastic straws, three plastic baggies, and a yellow container—items believed to contain crack cocaine residue. He was transported to the Calvert County Detention Center and later released on his own recognizance.
That arrest tied back to a 2024 case in St. Mary’s County, where Garrison was accused of stealing nearly $381 worth of fireworks, car products, and fuel additives from the Walmart in California, Md. According to charging documents, surveillance footage captured Garrison loading items into a shopping cart and pushing it past all points of sale without paying. A bench warrant was issued after he failed to appear in court in April. That same warrant was ultimately served during his May 15 arrest.
Meanwhile, a February incident in Dunkirk added further charges to Garrison’s criminal portfolio. Deputies responded to a theft report at Walmart, where a woman had left her purse in a shopping cart. Surveillance footage reportedly showed Garrison pulling the purse from a store employee who had recovered it for safekeeping. When confronted, Garrison allegedly gave a false name and date of birth, resisted arrest, and discarded multiple credit and gift cards—including those belonging to the victim—onto a nearby windowsill. Two additional cards were also recovered that did not belong to either party.
Court records confirm Garrison is currently facing active charges in both Calvert and St. Mary’s counties. If convicted, Garrison faces significant penalties. Theft under $100 carries a maximum sentence of 90 days in jail and a $500 fine, while disorderly conduct is punishable by up to 60 days in jail. Obstructing and hindering, as well as resisting arrest, can each carry up to three years. Possession of drug paraphernalia is punishable by up to one year and a $500 fine, and personal identity fraud to avoid prosecution carries a maximum penalty of 18 months.
His earliest upcoming trial is scheduled for July 1 in Calvert County. He is being represented by the Office of the Public Defender. All incidents were captured on store security cameras and deputies’ body-worn cameras.
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