La Plata, MD – Darmeious Leon Smothers, 26 of Fort Washington, only has a minor criminal record.
Charles County Assistant State’s Attorney Jeremy Widder told Charles County Circuit Court Judge Helen I. Harrington Tuesday, Aug. 18 that Smothers’ only previous offenses included violating a protective order and destruction of property before he was arrested in September 2014 for possession of marijuana while stealing clothes from a Waldorf store.
But last week he was charged with possession of less than 10 grams of marijuana, which did not bode well when he was brought before Harrington for sentencing on the previous drug and theft charges.
“This was his third criminal conviction since 2014,” Widder told the court.
Widder was recommending through state sentencing guidelines that the defendant be sentenced to three months.
Charles County Assistant Public Defender Gerry Riviello said his client has difficulty finding work.
“I think that the court could give him 90 days and call it a day,” Riviello said, “but I think he would benefit from probation and be allowed to attend a job program so he can find employment. He needs help with his substance abuse,” he added. “I’m asking the court to allow him to get into a job program as opposed to jail.”
“I apologize for my actions,” Smothers told Harrington. “All I can do is try to do better.”
Smothers said he had been in job training as a carpenter, but was having trouble finding work locally.
“I had an opportunity to do things in different states, but I can’t because of my court stuff,” he said.
Harrington suspended his fine on the marijuana charge, but imposed a 90-day sentence on the amended theft charge. She told him to enter jail-based drug treatment while at the Charles County Detention Center.
“See if you can’t get yourself on a better track,” she told Smothers.
Contact Joseph Norris at joe.norris@thebaynet.com