PRINCE FREDERICK, Md. — A Prince Frederick man accused of illegally possessing a handgun will face trial in January after investigators recovered a loaded firearm and ammunition during a Dec. 5, 2025, search of his home, according to court records and newly released charging documents.
Clifton Jermaine Cole Jr., 20, was charged with possession of a firearm by a minor, a misdemeanor. The offense carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
According to the statement of probable cause, the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office Drug Enforcement Unit, working with St. Mary’s County investigators, began reviewing Cole in the fall of 2025 after learning he had allegedly displayed a firearm on social media while residing in Prince Frederick. Detectives confirmed he was living at a home on Serenity Court.
On Dec. 5 at around 7:34 p.m., deputies executed search and seizure warrants at the residence. Cole was detained as members of the Special Operations Team cleared the home. Investigators then located a loaded P80-style handgun hidden in a trash bag inside the bathroom toilet’s reservoir tank, along with 9mm ammunition. Additional ammunition in Cole’s bedroom inside a backpack and a sock.
Cole, who is prohibited from possessing a handgun because he is under 21, was advised of his Miranda rights. Investigators say he admitted possessing the firearm and told officers he had taken it from an unknown person in St. Mary’s County, though he did not specify when.
Cole was arrested and transported to the Calvert County Detention Center. Records show he was released on his own recognizance the same day. His case is scheduled for trial on Jan. 14, 2026, in Calvert County District Court.
All recovered evidence was collected and processed by the Calvert County Drug Enforcement Unit.
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