“As I have stated in the past and demonstrated with our many Allied Agency Partnerships including our drug task force, if you sell drugs in Queen Anne’s County it’s only a matter of time before we come knocking on your door. We have a zero tolerance for drug dealers within our community. We are encouraging that those addicted to substances get the appropriate mental health and treatment services available. This is a nationwide epidemic, but locally I can assure you that we will make every effort possible to lock up and put away drug dealers, seize their assets, and make examples of these individuals publicly. We will not tolerate drug dealers in our county.” Queen Anne’s Sheriff Gary Hofmann
Queen Anne’s County Drug Task Force
Press Release
INCIDENT: Felony CDS Distribution Arrests
SYNOPSIS: On September 14, 2016 the Queen Anne’s County Sheriff’s Office responded to a fatal drug overdose that just occurred at the Subway store located at 230 St. Claire Place Stevensville, Maryland. The deceased, Crystal Jean Ringgold, was discovered unresponsive from a suspected heroin overdose.
Members of the Queen Anne’s County Drug Task Force responded to assist and were able to identify one person who may have distributed or facilitated the distribution of the heroin to the deceased. Rachel Maury Bowman (20) of Church Hill was detained by Task force members while Detectives from the Task Force authored a search and seizure warrant for her person, car, cell phone and belongings. A search of her belongings revealed .2 grams of suspected heroin, 2 suspected Zubsolv pills and a suspected Suboxone strip.
Bowman was charged with the suspected distribution of controlled dangerous substances to Ringgold and the possession of heroin, Suboxone, Zubsolv and paraphernalia. Bowman was also charged on an arrest warrant for the possession of heroin with the intent to distribute for a separate case the task force was also investigating. Bowman was held on $107,500.00 total bond.
Further investigation revealed that Don Diego Brown (58) of Ingleside, MD met with Bowman directly before Ringgold’s death then delivered suspected heroin to Ringgold. Task Force investigators consulted with the Queen Anne’s County State’s Attorney’s Office and an arrest warrant charging Brown with involuntary manslaughter, distribution of heroin, conspiracy to distribute heroin and reckless endangerment in the overdose death of Crystal Jean Ringgold.
On 9/20/16 at approximately 11:00 hours, Brown was located driving through Centreville, Maryland. Members of the task force, with assistance from uniformed troopers assigned to the Centreville Barrack made a traffic stop on Brown N/B Route 301 at Rolling Bridge Road. Brown was taken into custody without incident. A search of Brown’s car incident to arrest revealed trace heroin, 2 Suboxone strips and heroin related paraphernalia. Brown was also charged with these items and his 2004 Toyota Camry was seized.
In addition to the above listed charges, Brown was also charged on a separate warrant with two counts of possession of CDS – not Marijuana and possession of CDS paraphernalia.
Brown, who was charged with attempted murder in 2001 and convicted of a 1st degree assault was sentenced to 25 years is currently on probation/parole. At an initial appearance before a District Court Commissioner, bail for Brown was set at $757,500 on both of the arrest warrants.
ARRESTING OFFICERS: Detectives of the Queen Anne’s County Drug Task Force
ASSISTING: Personnel from the Queen Anne’s County Sheriff’s Office Patrol and Criminal Investigations Unit, Maryland State Police uniformed troopers from Centreville Barrack