LEXINGTON PARK, Md. – A series of drug-related incidents in St. Mary’s County has culminated in multiple charges against Cindi Lynn Sweeney, 45, of Lexington Park. With arrests spanning early December and the involvement of paraphernalia and cocaine, Sweeney’s ongoing legal troubles underscore the region’s challenges in combating narcotics activity.
December 1, 2024: Suspicious Parking Lot Encounter
Deputies responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle at Colton Point Road at approximately 6:33 a.m. Sweeney was found asleep inside a silver Hyundai Venue, with its headlights on. Officers observed a silver straw with visible burn marks and powder residue on the passenger seat.
When questioned, Sweeney denied ownership of the straw, referring to it as “a stick.” Based on their training, deputies identified the item as drug paraphernalia commonly used for smoking cocaine, a Schedule II controlled dangerous substance. Sweeney was charged with possession of CDS paraphernalia and CDS possession and released with a summons.
December 6, 2024: Speeding Stop Turns to Cocaine Arrest
Less than a week later, deputies conducting traffic enforcement along Pegg Road observed the same Hyundai Venue traveling at 56 miles per hour in a 40-mph zone. During the stop, Sweeney was identified as the front-seat passenger.
A K-9 unit conducted a free-air sniff, resulting in a positive alert. A search of the vehicle uncovered a pink hygiene bag on the passenger floorboard containing a plastic container with crack cocaine and two glass smoking devices with visible residue. Deputies arrested Sweeney, who was charged with possession of CDS and paraphernalia. She was released on her own recognizance pending trial.
December 19, 2024: Paraphernalia and Multiple Charges
In the third incident, deputies arrested Sweeney following a broader investigation into drug-related activity. During this arrest, additional paraphernalia and evidence of narcotics use were uncovered, leading to multiple new charges. Court records indicate that Sweeney is now facing six charges in total across three cases, including possession of CDS, paraphernalia, and related offenses.
Legal Proceedings and Penalties
Court documents from the District Court for St. Mary’s County detail Sweeney’s legal timeline. For her December 6 arrest, she is scheduled to appear in court on February 4, 2025. The earlier charges from December 1 remain open, with trial proceedings set for January 28, 2025. Each CDS possession charge carries penalties of up to one year in jail and a $5,000 fine, while paraphernalia possession could add further fines and incarceration.
Sweeney’s repeated arrests highlight the ongoing struggle against drug abuse and paraphernalia use in the region.
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No repercussions, should get a life sentence without parole
Make drug rehab a MANDATORY sentence, and stop giving people just a slap on the wrist. Once they are back on the street they will continue to use. Giving a drug addict a monetary fine to pay is senseless since it will never get paid. I know many people that have died from overdose in my friends circle and my own family and the struggle is real and ignorance isn’t a cure. Drug usage is a deadly epidemic not just to the addict, but everyone around them.
Drug offenses and offenders go to jail prison a whole lot longer than rapist and murders, government does not run Rehap they don’t profit off of rehabs and therefore no one will be mandatory sent. You think your the first person to relive this, instead of hating / blaming addict why not blame those who make the problem worse