Tag Archives: Healey

NEW YORK MAN PLEADS GUILTY IN ATTEMPTED MURDER OF HARFORD COUNTY SHERIFF LIEUTENANT

Date: May 19, 2026
Re: State vs. Juan Quiroz-Manzueta

On Tuesday, May 19, 2026, Juan Quiroz-Manzueta, 22, of New York, entered a guilty plea in front of the Honorable Judge Kevin J. Mahoney in the Circuit Court of Harford County to one count of Attempted First Degree Murder, one count of Second Degree Burglary, one of count of Attempt by Driver to Elude Police in an Official Police Vehicle, and one count of Failing to Stop a Vehicle after an Attended Property Damage Accident.

Facts presented in support of the plea proved that on the morning of August 26, 2025, Lieutenant Robert Burgess observed a white Penske box truck driving erratically on Route 136 in Harford County. At that time, he activated his emergency equipment to initiate a traffic stop, the driver failed to stop and led law enforcement on a 36-minute vehicle pursuit across multiple roads in the county. During the pursuit, the driver of that vehicle, Juan Quiroz-Manzueta, drove recklessly at unsafe speeds, crossed over medians, and, most notably, traveled the wrong way on several occasions, including multiple times on Interstate 95. At a minimum, six cars were struck by the Defendant as he weaved in and out of traffic attempting to evade law enforcement, and failed to stop after any of those collisions. During that time, other deputies led the pursuit, and Lt. Burgess, later with the help of a Maryland State Police trooper, positioned themselves on Interstate 95 to deploy stop sticks in an attempt to stop the vehicle. As the Defendant approached, he deliberately avoided the tire deflation devices, striking civilian vehicles in the process. Lt. Burgess sought cover, and it was at that time that the defendant deliberately struck Lt. Burgess’ vehicle, swerved directly at him and struck him, sending him 30 feet through the air and an additional 30-plus feet down the asphalt, nearly taking his life. The Defendant still failed to stop despite striking a human being and continued to flee. Eventually, Sgt. Henize of the Harford County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) terminated the pursuit and safely conducted a Precision Immobilization Technique, which is a law enforcement tactic used to safely and forcefully stop a fleeing vehicle, guiding it off the roadway and into the woods. The Defendant exited his vehicle, fled through the woods and managed to further evade arrest at that time.

Investigation later revealed that the Defendant burglarized the Applebee’s in Aberdeen and stole cooking oil from that location. He then attempted to steal additional cooking oil from the Royal Farms on Route 22. Both incidents occurred just prior to Lt. Burgess’ attempted traffic stop on the vehicle. The Defendant was transporting the cooking oil in the truck as well as the hose he used to siphon the oil to steal it. Due to the swift and thorough investigation of the Harford County Sheriff’s Office, the Defendant was immediately identified, located, and arrested the very next day in New Rochelle, New York.

As a result of the conviction, the Defendant was sentenced to Life in Prison, all suspended but forty (40) years to serve, which is a significant upward deviation from the recommended Maryland Sentencing guidelines of only fifteen (15) to twenty-five (25) years.

Following the hearing, State’s Attorney Alison M. Healey held a press conference where she issued the following statement: “The sentencing guidelines in this case were only 15 – 25 years, which were completely insufficient for both the crimes the Defendant committed that day as well as the amount of peril in which the Defendant placed all of our citizens on the roadway that day. We are proud that we were able to obtain a sentence that is 15 years above the top of the sentencing guidelines and more than double the bottom of the range for the guidelines.

I want to significantly commend Detective Phillip Golden and the entire Harford County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division, as well as Detective Lightner and the Aberdeen Police Department Criminal Investigation Division, for their efforts in investigating this case. In addition, Harford County law enforcement and supervisors from all agencies countywide demonstrated sheer excellence in the team effort to bring this dangerous pursuit to a close. I cannot say enough how much I appreciate the sacrifices that our law enforcements make each and every day to ensure the safety of this county. They put their lives on the line for each and every one of us.

Most importantly, I am incredibly grateful to report that Lieutenant Burgess was able to be here with us today in Court to address the Court in a victim impact statement. He sustained significant injuries as a result of the Defendant’s actions – a severe concussion and Traumatic Brain Injury, a collapsed lung with 12 displaced ribs and one broken rib requiring nine metal plates, a dislocated collarbone, a broken left forearm requiring a metal plate, four fractured vertebrae in his back, road rash covering his body, two large lacerations on his head, and additional internal bleeding. Despite those injuries, he thankfully survived this horrific incident. He will, however, be likely to deal with the lasting effects of his injuries for the rest of his life. His bravery and service to Harford County are to be honored.

As State’s Attorney, I remain committed to my sole focus and priority, which is the public safety of Harford County and ensuring that dangerous offenders like Juan Quiroz-Manzueta face significant consequences for the threat they pose to our community. This is what the citizens of Harford County elected me to do, and we have repeatedly shown that we will stop at nothing to remove violent offenders from our streets. Today, we once again did just that. This sentence is a swift and certain message to those who contemplate committing crimes in Harford County. No sentence obtained in this case would ever be enough to compensate Lieutenant Burgess for the injuries he sustained that day. We are so fortunate that he did not lose his life that day protecting our community, but this is a reminder that all our law enforcement officers willingly do everything they can every day to protect our citizens. So, to all our law enforcement partners, I profoundly thank you for your service to Harford County. In the Circuit Court for Harford County, today, justice was served.”

NOTTINGHAM WOMAN CONVICTED IN HOA THEFT SCHEME

Date: May 14, 2026
Re: State vs. Sarah Chester

On Monday, May 11, 2026, Sarah Chester, 44, of Nottingham, pled guilty to one count of Theft Scheme over $100,000, one count of Forgery and Counterfeit – Private Documents, and one count of Embezzlement, before the Honorable Paul W. Ishak in the Circuit Court for Harford County. Chester was sentenced to twenty (20) years, all suspended with five (5) years to serve. She was taken into custody to begin her sentence immediately following the hearing. Restitution in this case, which is expected to reach nearly $600,000, will be left open for thirty (30) days to allow the State the opportunity to verify the contact information and amounts from the various affected homeowners associations.

Facts presented in support of the plea proved that between 2021 and 2025, several homeowners associations in both Harford and Baltimore Counties hired the Defendant and her company, Magnolia Properties, to manage the HOAs and their funds. Evidence showed that over approximately a five-year period, the Defendant ran a Ponzi scheme. She syphoned monies from each HOA into her personal accounts. Chester utilized the funds for trips to Europe, country club memberships, and more. She also created fake bank statements to hide her theft and transferred money between HOA accounts to replenish stolen funds in others. Over the course of a five-year period, the thefts affected over 250 households and approximately 1,500 individuals.

Over 50 residents from various communities affected by the Defendant’s actions attended the hearing. At the conclusion, State’s Attorney Alison M. Healey issued the following statement: “To be placed in a position of trust by your community only to violate that trust in such an egregious way is despicable and behavior that will not be tolerated in Harford County. I commend the work of Assistant State’s Attorney Ari Kodeck for his efforts in securing a jail sentence in this case, as well as ensuring that restitution is ordered and these communities will one day be made whole.”

State’s Attorney Healey also thanks the Harford County Sheriff’s Office and Detective Sergent for their efforts in the investigation of this highly complex white-collar case and recognizes the tremendous amount of work and collaboration that was required to ensure that justice was served.

911 DISPATCHER SENTENCED IN DUI

Date: April 16, 2026
Re: State v. Nadene Smith

On Wednesday, January 21, 2026, Nadene Letonya Smith, 42, of Reisterstown, entered into a plea agreement and was found guilty of Driving While Under the Influence of Alcohol and Fleeing and Eluding by Failing to Stop before the Honorable Judge Donald Walter in the District Court for Harford County. At that time, sentencing was postponed at the request of the Defense and was scheduled for Thursday, April 16, 2026.

The facts presented in support of the plea proved that on November 16, 2025, deputies of the Harford County Sheriff’s Office observed a dark colored SUV traveling east on Philadelphia Road, driving over the double solid yellow lines and ultimately reversing in the middle of a roundabout after traveling in the wrong direction. Deputy Kanner positioned himself behind the vehicle to initiate a traffic stop. However, the vehicle continued to drive through the center of the roundabout. A pursuit was initiated as the vehicle continued down Philadelphia Road, into another roundabout, lost control, traveled off the roadway, and came to rest in a grassy area, disabling the vehicle. The driver of the vehicle was identified as the Defendant, Nadene Smith. Smith was ordered to exit the vehicle, and Deputies observed her stumbling and falling upon her exit prior to being detained. Deputies further observed the Defendant’s eyes red and glassy and her speech slurred. When asked where she was coming from, the Defendant originally declined to answer but eventually did state that she was a 911 dispatcher coming from a co-worker’s bonfire where she consumed two drinks that were 16% Alcohol by Volume. Smith consented to standardized field sobriety testing, where multiple observations indicated impairment. Following these tests, Smith refused to submit to a breath test to measure her blood alcohol levels. As a result of her standardized field sobriety testing and the observations of Deputies, she was placed under arrest. Following her arrest, Smith became belligerent with the Deputies, all of which was captured on the in-car camera footage during the arrest.

Due to the egregious nature of the Defendant’s conduct, including but not limited to her driving, failure to stop, impairment by alcohol, and her behavior during and after arrest, Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Melissa Moloney highlighted these as aggravating factors and advocated for incarceration despite the Defendant’s lack of record and this being her first offense. The Honorable Judge Donald Walter agreed and imposed a sentence of two (2) years, all suspended but forty-five (45) days to serve.

State’s Attorney Alison M. Healey issued the following statement at the conclusion of the hearing: “Driving Under the Influence is a criminal offense that puts innocent victims at risk and one that my office always takes seriously. Some, but not all, first-time offenses result in probationary findings with conditions for treatment. However, when you couple that dangerous behavior with fleeing and eluding and mistreatment and threats directed toward our county’s law enforcement, incarceration becomes the only acceptable consequence, despite the Defendant’s lack of record. The Defendant’s behavior in this case was egregious, and we are grateful that Judge Walter agreed with us in imposing his sentence. I also thank Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Melissa Moloney for her pursuit of justice and advocacy in this case and extend my sincere gratitude to our incredible law enforcement who put their lives on the line each day to protect the citizens of this county and show enormous levels of professionalism when dealing with the challenges of criminal behavior on our streets.”

ABERDEEN MAN CONVICTED IN RELATION TO OCTOBER 2023 SHOOTING

Date: January 7, 2026
Re: State v. Alexander Maszkiewicz

On Monday, December 22, 2025, Alexander Maszkiewicz, 27, of Aberdeen, was sentenced to twenty-five (25) years of incarceration, suspending all but eighteen (18) years to serve by the Honorable Diane Adkins-Tobin in connection with an October 2023 shooting in Aberdeen, Maryland.

Following a three-day jury trial, Maszkiewicz was convicted by a jury on November 4, 2025, after the State proved that on October 18, 2023, approximately ten gunshots were fired in the 100 block of New County Road in Aberdeen. At the time of the incident, no witnesses or victims came forward, and the investigation initially went cold.

Despite the lack of immediate leads, Detective Lightner of the Aberdeen Police Department continued to pursue the case. In mid-2024, Detective Lightner received a critical ballistics lead that identified a possible suspect as Alexander Maszkiewicz. Through diligent and persistent investigative work, Detective Lightner was able to locate the Glock 43X used in the shooting and ultimately charge Maszkiewicz in relation to the shooting. Following the presentation of evidence in this case, the jury deliberated for 90 minutes, returning guilty verdicts against the Defendant on all charges presented, to include Illegal Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, Handgun on a Person, and Reckless Endangerment. The Defendant’s Maryland Sentencing Guidelines suggested a period of incarceration of five (5) to eight (8) years of incarceration. However, Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Joel Muneses was able to successfully argue for an upward deviation of the sentence in this case.

Following the sentencing State’s Attorney Alison M. Healey issued the following statement: “This case underscores the dedication of local law enforcement and further reinforces my office’s ongoing commitment and collaborative approach with law enforcement to investigate, charge, and convict violent offenders. Our focus continues to be protecting the citizens of Harford County by holding violent offenders accountable, even when cases begin with few leads.” State’s Attorney Healey further commends Detective Lightner on his outstanding investigative work in this case and Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Joel Muneses for his unwavering dedication to justice.

MAXIMUM PENALTY IMPOSED FOR BRUTAL 2023 MA-PA TRAIL MURDER

Date: August 11, 2025
RE: State v. Victor Antonio Martinez-Hernandez

On Monday, August 11, 2025, Victor Antonio Martinez-Hernandez was sentenced following an April 2025 jury trial for the brutal 2023 rape and murder of Rachel Hannah Morin on the Ma & Pa Trail in Bel Air, Maryland. The trial resulted in a swift verdict with the jury finding Martinez-Hernandez guilty on all counts, which included First Degree Murder, First Degree Rape, Third Degree Sexual Offense, and Kidnapping after less than one hour of deliberation.

Evidence presented at trial proved that on August 5, 2023, Martinez-Hernandez pulled Rachel Morin from the Ma & Pa Trail, brutally raping and murdering her, ultimately concealing her body in the drainage culverts where she was found the following day. After a lengthy investigation involving both local and federal law enforcement partners, Martinez-Hernandez was apprehended and charged.

Today, Martinez-Hernandez appeared before the Honorable Judge Yolanda L. Curtin for sentencing. State’s Attorney Alison M. Healey and Deputy State’s Attorney David W. Ryden, who prosecuted the case, asked the court to impose a sentence of Life Without the Possibility of Parole, plus a consecutive and additional Life sentence, plus forty additional years to serve, which is the maximum penalty allowable by law. To support their sentencing recommendations, the State provided a lengthy presentation to the court demonstrating who Rachel was in life and not solely as the victim of a horrific crime. The presentation also showed the immense loss that her family has suffered at the hands of this Defendant through victim impact statements provided by her mother, children and siblings. State’s Attorney Healey also noted the impact that this tragedy had on the Harford County community, as well as the need to protect both our community and others from the Defendant, who has been proven to be an immense and continuing threat to public safety. State’s Attorney Healey supported this by highlighting the gross inconsistencies in the self-report provided by the Defendant in his pre-sentencing investigation and psychosexual evaluation, reminding the court of the preposterous lies told by the Defendant at each and every stage of the investigation and trial, as well as quoting the Doctor responsible for the evaluations who described the Defendant as “marked by coldness, dismissiveness, and a callous attitude when discussing the offense, along with an absence of remorse, insight, acceptance of responsibility, or empathy, significantly heightening concerns about his risk of reoffending.” In addition to the reports, the State continued by outlining the Defendant’s involvement in other violent acts, which included an active “Red Notice” from El Salvador for Aggravated Femicide relating to the murder of another female victim, listing him as “armed, dangerous, likely to escape, and violent.” Based on all the information contained in the various reports and evaluations, and the egregious nature of the offense, State’s Attorney Healey argued to the Court that Martinez-Hernandez is completely and entirely unamenable to treatment and thus, the Court should impose the maximum sentence.

Judge Curtin imposed a sentence of life without the possibility of parole, plus an additional life sentence to be run consecutively, as well as an additional forty (40) years to serve, the maximum penalty allowable by law.

Following sentencing, State’s Attorney Healey stated: “Arguably, Harford County has never seen a case or a Defendant more deserving of every single day of the maximum sentence this Court imposed today. This has been a long and grueling process for Rachel’s family, and it is our hope that this sentence provides some sense of justice as they close this chapter and move forward in their grief and toward healing. Nothing will ever bring Rachel back to them or restore their lives to what they were before this immense tragedy, but hopefully, knowing this monster will spend every single day of the rest of his life behind bars will give them some peace as they move into the next chapter of their family story. My wish for this family and Rachel’s children is that they believe we gave them some sense of justice for the loss of Rachel and that they continue to honor her memory and legacy in everything they do for the remainder of their lives.”

THE INVESTITURE OF ALISON M. HEALEY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – January 3, 2023 will forever be a historic day in Harford County, as Alison M. Healey was sworn in as the first ever female State’s Attorney. Ms. Healey secured an overwhelming victory against the Republican incumbent in the primary election held on July 19, 2022, by a more than two to one margin. During her investiture held in the Circuit Court for Harford County, Ms. Healey emphasized the historic place she now holds but maintained that “…male or female, I was the most qualified and best candidate for the job, and I could not be more blessed that the citizens of this county confirmed that definitively with their votes.”

Throughout her campaign, Ms. Healey ran on the platform of restoring law and order in Harford County, repairing the relationships between the State’s Attorney’s Office and law enforcement, and being a “champion for victims in our county.” During the ceremony she renewed those commitments. “I can assure you that when the men and women of law enforcement work so diligently, as they always do, to bring cases to the court for prosecution, our office will always strive to hold offenders accountable to our fullest potential… We will ensure that every victim in this county feels compassion, is prepared for every step and phase of their case and knows that they always come first.” Ms. Healey went on to highlight her lifelong history in Harford County and committed to spending the next four years ensuring “…that our County remains a safe place for all our citizens.”