Tag Archives: Rape

BEL AIR MAN CONVICTED OF RAPE FOLLOWING FIVE DAY JURY TRIAL

On Thursday, February 8, 2024, Jose Wilfred Orellana-Cedillos, 33, of Bel Air, Maryland was found guilty by a jury of Second Degree Rape, Fourth Degree Sex Offense, and Second Degree Assault following a five-day jury trial before the Honorable Diane Adkins Tobin.

Evidence presented during the trial proved that on July 14, 2023, the Bel Air Police Department responded for a reported rape of a 23-year-old woman. The victim testified that Orellana asked her for a kiss to which she said no. Orellana continued to pursue her, groping her breasts, digitally penetrating her, and forcibly raping her in the basement of the residence while she was doing laundry. The victim was related to the mother of the Defendant’s children who were inside the residence when the incident occurred. Orellana was apprehended later that evening during a traffic stop. The victim was taken to Harford Memorial Hospital for a Sexual Assault Forensic Examination. A Forensic Nurse Examiner determined that the victim had bruising to her breasts with the assistance of an Alternative Light Source (ALS) and injuries to her vagina consistent with non-consensual intercourse. DNA taken from the victim’s breasts was analyzed by the Maryland State Police Forensic Sciences Division and matched the Defendant.

Sentencing is currently set for April 15, 2024, where Orellana-Cedillos faces up to 20 years of incarceration for Second Degree Rape, one year for Fourth Degree Sex Offense, and 10 years for Second Degree Assault. He is currently held at the Harford County Detention Center pending sentencing. The Defendant is also held on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement
detainer. Orellana could also face immigration consequences as a result of this conviction and is subject to removal proceedings following the completion of his sentence in this case.

Following the conviction State’s Attorney Alison M. Healey offered the following comments: “Reporting a sexual assault requires an immense amount of courage, particularly in a case such as this one where the victim is acquainted with the Defendant. The victim demonstrated that courage in this case by confronting her abuser through her report of this offense and through her testimony in trial. Our community is much safer with this Defendant behind bars, and we are relieved that he will face a substantial sentence criminally in this case. We are also optimistic that he will face the appropriate immigration consequences as well.”

State’s Attorney Healey thanks Deputy State’s Attorney David W. Ryden for his pursuit of justice in this case and for being an advocate for this victim during this challenging trial process. She also commends Officer McCraghan, Detective Vivino and Officer Maldonado of the Bel Air Police Department for their efforts in investigating and preparing this case for trial.
Further, she acknowledges the expert witnesses from both the Maryland State Police and Harford Memorial Hospital for their important work in corroborating the victim’s testimony and assisting with the successful prosecution of this case.

ABERDEEN MAN GUILTY OF FIRST DEGREE RAPE – STATE TO SEEK 85 YEARS TO SERVE

RE: State of Maryland vs. Tavon Isaiah Harvey
On Monday, October 23, 2023, Tavon Isaiah Harvey, 29, of Aberdeen, Maryland pled guilty in three separate cases before the Honorable Kevin J. Mahoney. Harvey pled guilty in the most serious case to one count of First Degree Rape. In the other two cases, Harvey pled guilty to one count of an Inmate Causing Contact with Bodily Fluid and entered into an admission to violating probation for a prior conviction for Second Degree Assault (the equivalent of a guilty plea for a Violation of Probation proceeding).

Facts presented to the court in support of the guilty plea on the charge of First Degree Rape revealed that on December 30, 2022, the victim reported a rape to the Aberdeen Police Department. Officer Haddix assumed the investigation which revealed Harvey vaginally and anally penetrated the victim over the course of two hours between midnight and 2 A.M. that same date. The victim identified Harvey via an MVA photograph and further reported seeing Harvey watching her walk into the police precinct that morning wearing the same clothes, a distinctive red sweatsuit. The rape occurred inside an abandoned building at 18 N. Law Street in Aberdeen. Harvey held the victim at knifepoint during the rape and also strangled her. The victim was able to escape when another individual entered the abandoned house, distracting Harvey. Harvey was Mirandized and gave several conflicting versions of events, to include that he had not seen the victim and only knew her in passing. A Sexual Assault Forensic Exam (“SAFE”) was conducted, evidencing injuries and bruising consistent with the victim’s recitation of events. DNA evidence was also collected during the SAFE exam, which confirmed Harvey’s identity as the assailant.

In Harvey’s second case, evidence showed that on April 8, 2023, while being held at the Harford County Detention Center awaiting trial, Harvey used empty bottles from his shower items to collect fecal matter, which he then sprayed over the bars and walls of the day room during shift change. Responding deputies and correctional officers were forced to decontaminate the area.
Harvey remains held without bond at the Harford County Detention Center while awaiting sentencing which is currently scheduled for January 25, 2024. Pursuant to the plea agreement in the First Degree Rape case, the State will be arguing for a sentence of Life suspend all but eighty-five (85) years of active incarceration to serve.
At the conclusion of the proceedings, State’s Attorney Alison M. Healey offered the following comment: “Harford County has no place for violent criminal offenders like Tavon Harvey. The egregious acts that were perpetrated upon his victim in the rape case were nothing short of horrific. It is my sincere hope that the First Degree Rape conviction will give the victim some relief that justice was served as she closes this chapter and begins to heal. Mr. Harvey’s blatant disregard for others as demonstrated in all three of these cases
sends a clear message that he should be removed from our community for as much of the remainder of his life as possible, if not all of it, so he cannot continue to harm the citizens of our community. Our office continues to repeatedly send the message that we will not tolerate criminal behavior in Harford County.”

Ms. Healey continued on to express her gratitude to Deputy State’s Attorney Trenna Manners for her hard work in securing this plea agreements in these cases, for her advocacy on behalf of the victims, and for ensuring that another violent criminal is removed from the streets of Harford County. She also thanks Officer Haddix and the Aberdeen Police Department for their diligence in the investigation of the rape case and the correctional staff at the Harford County Detention Center for their efforts in the Bodily Fluids case and in housing Harvey while awaiting trial.

EDGEWOOD MAN CONVICTED OF FIRST DEGREE RAPE, ARMED ROBBERY, AND RELATED CHARGES SENTENCED TO LIFE PLUS FIFTY YEARS TO SERVE

UPDATE: On Friday, May 12, 2023, Devon Allen Odell Scott, 40, of Edgewood, Maryland was sentenced in the Circuit Court for Harford County following his February 13, 2023 convictions.

The Honorable Diane Adkins-Tobin sentenced Scott to a total sentence of Life plus 50 years to serve. The breakdown of sentencing is reflected as follows:
Count 1: First Degree Rape – Life
Count 3: Armed Robbery – 25 years without parole, consecutive to Count 1;
Count 7: Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Crime of Violence – 20 years, consecutive to Counts
1 and 3, with the 1st 5 years without parole;
Count 8: Illegal Possession of a Regulated Firearm – 15 years SAB 5 years without parole, consecutive
to Counts 1, 3, and 7;
Count 11: Indecent Exposure – 3 years suspended, consecutive to Counts 1, 3, 7, and 8;
The remaining convictions merged into these convictions and sentences.

Upon release, if that were to occur, Scott will be placed on 5 years of supervised probation with standard conditions, as well as the requirement that he abstain from drugs and alcohol, submit to evaluation, testing and treatment as directed, register as a Tier III sex offender requiring lifetime registration, be supervised by a sexual offender management team, be monitored through global positioning satellite tracking or equivalent technology, participate in a sexual offender treatment program, submit to regular polygraph examinations, and have no contact with the victim in the case.

State’s Attorney Alison Healey requested at the sentencing hearing that the Court impose the maximum penalty allowed by law of Life plus 63 years. After sentencing, State’s Attorney Alison Healey stated, “We argued in sentencing that our community would be in great danger if this violent offender was ever released from commitment again. We are grateful that Judge Adkins-Tobin’s sentence demonstrates her agreement, and this sentence ensures that the citizens of our community will never have to be at risk from this Defendant ever again.”

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February 13, 2023, Devon Allen Odell Scott, 40, of Edgewood, Maryland, was convicted of First Degree Rape, Armed Robbery, First Degree Assault, Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Crime of Violence, Illegal Possession of a Regulated Firearm by a Prohibited Person, Wearing, Carrying or Transporting a Handgun in a Vehicle, False Imprisonment, Indecent Exposure, and Theft: $100 to $1500 following a jury trial in the Circuit Court for Harford County. The Harford County Sheriff’s Office investigated and charged Scott with sexually assaulting the 28-year-old victim after she provided him with a ride from Baltimore to the Edgewood area on August 5, 2019.

The victim testified before the Honorable Diane Adkins-Tobin that Scott flagged her down for ride in Baltimore, as she stated that she sometimes works as an unlicensed taxi service in her personal vehicle to earn extra money. Throughout the duration of the trip, Scott refused to commit to a specific house number or road, but asked to be taken to the Edgewood area. Upon arrival to Edgewood, Scott instructed the victim to pull over to a secluded road and displayed a gray semi¬automatic handgun telling the victim that he was not going to kill her, but that she was going to perform oral sex on him. He took money from her, as well as her driver’s license, cell phone, and keys. Scott then forced her to perform oral sex on him, placing the gun next to the passenger side door within his reach. Scott also told the victim to “do it right” and hit her in the head and face with his hands. Scott forced the victim to view pornographic videos on the victim’s cell phone during the incident to show her how he wanted the act to be completed and forced her head down. After sexually assaulting the victim, Scott permitted the victim to spit out his pre-ejaculate fluids, which was later collected for DNA evidence. Scott told the victim to wait ten minutes before leaving, and he would throw her belongings at a nearby stop sign. Following a thorough investigation by the Harford County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division, Scott was identified by the victim in a photo lineup, as well as by a positive latent fingerprint match from inside of the victim’s vehicle, and DNA evidence recovered from outside of the victim’s vehicle. Scott is further prohibited from possessing a firearm because of prior disqualifying convictions in Baltimore City for Armed Robbery and Robbery.

Judge Adkins-Tobin ordered that Scott be continued to be held without bail and will continue to be housed at the Division of Corrections in Jessup following his convictions. Scott faces up to life in prison for First Degree Rape, 25 years for Armed Robbery due to the filing of enhanced penalties, 25 years for First Degree Assault, 20 years for Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Crime of Violence with the first five years being mandatory without the possibility of parole, 5 years for Illegal Possession of a Regulated Firearm by a Prohibited Person, 3 years for Wearing, Carrying, or Transporting a Handgun in a Vehicle, and 3 years for Indecent Exposure. The remaining counts will merge into the other counts for purposes of sentencing. Sentencing in this matter will be scheduled for a later date.

Following the verdict, State’s Attorney Alison M. Healey stated, “My office is repeatedly proving to our citizens that we will fulfill our promise to hold violent offenders accountable. We will continue to work vigorously to incarcerate violent predators for as long as possible and remove them from our community. There are not adequate words to express the bravery the victim in this case demonstrated by reporting this horrific crime and testifying at trial in this case.”

Ms. Healey thanks Assistant State’s Attorney Angela Diehl for her hard work and advocacy in the prosecution of this case to obtain justice for the victim. The State’s Attorney’s Office would also like to thank Detective Moro, Detective Wilsynski, Sergeant Dietz, and Deputy First Class Jackson of the Harford County Sheriff’s Office for their thorough investigation resulting in this sexually violent offender being brought to justice.

FOREST HILL MAN CONVICTED OF SECOND DEGREE RAPE

UPDATE

On Thursday, May 18, 2023, Steven Jay Friedman, 40, of Forest Hill, Maryland was sentenced in the Circuit Court for Harford County following his January 30, 2023 convictions.
The Honorable Yolanda Curtin sentenced Freidman to thirty (30) years suspend all but eighteen (18) years to serve.

The breakdown of sentencing is reflected as follows:
-Rape 2nd – 20 years, suspend all but 18 years to serve
-Sex Offense 3rd Degree – 10 years, suspended, consecutive
-Providing Alcohol to a Minor – $1000 fine, suspended

Upon release, Friedman will be placed on 5 years of supervised probation with standard conditions, as well as the requirement that he submit to lifetime supervision as a sex offender and lifetime sex offender registration. As part of his probation, he is ordered to have no contact with the victim or her family, be subject to DNA testing and COMET supervision, sex offender treatment with cognitive behavioral therapy, abstinence from alcohol and drugs, drug testing, drug/alcohol treatment, and no unsupervised contact with minors.

At the conclusion of the hearing, Judge Curtin thanked the victim for her strength and courage in testifying in the case and providing a victim impact statement at the sentencing hearing.
After the sentence was handed down, State’s Attorney Alison Healey said, “I am very grateful that we were able to obtain justice for the victim in this case, who showed incredible resilience and bravery by facing her abuser not just at trial, but at the sentencing hearing as well. This offender is a danger to our community, and we are grateful that Judge Curtin’s sentence in this case will ensure that the citizens of our community are free from him for a long time and that he will be monitored extremely closely when he is eventually released.”

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On January 30, 2023, Steven Jay Friedman, 40, of Forest Hill, Maryland was convicted of Second Degree Rape, Sexual Offense in the Third Degree, Second Degree Assault, and Furnishing for or Allowing Underage Consumption following a bench trial in the Circuit Court for Harford County. The charges are the result of a Harford County Sheriff’s Office investigation, which found that Friedman lured a sixteen-year-old neighbor into his home and sexually assaulted her after providing her alcohol on February 18, 2022.

The victim testified during the trial before the Honorable Judge Yolanda L. Curtin that she regularly takes walks in the neighborhood and a resident, identified as Friedman, approached her at approximately 5:00 p.m., stating that he had been watching her take her walks and thought she was very attractive. Friedman invited the victim into his residence to provide her alcohol. While in the residence, Friedman reached under her shirt and bra and touched her breast. The victim testified that she was too intoxicated to say no. Friedman overcame her attempts to resist and performed oral sex on her while digitally penetrating her without her consent. During the incident, Friedman’s family came home, and Friedman interacted with them before escorting the victim out of the residence undetected. The victim preserved video evidence of Friedman providing her alcohol and confirming the sexual contact. Friedman was interviewed by members of the Harford County Sheriff’s Office’s Criminal Investigative Division and admitted to providing the victim alcohol and to the sexual contact.

The Honorable Judge Curtin remanded Friedman to the custody of the Harford County Detention Center following his convictions. Friedman faces up to 20 years of incarceration. Sentencing will be scheduled following the completion of a Pre-Sentence Investigation.

State’s Attorney Alison M. Healey stated after the verdict was pronounced by the Court: “The conviction of Steven Friedman for this heinous and predatory crime gives the victim of this case closure to a difficult chapter that no individual deserves, and especially not a child. We will be seeking a maximum sentence to ensure this sexual predator is removed from our community for the protection of other children and our citizens. I commend the victim and her family for reporting the assault and for the bravery she exhibited by testifying at trial.”

Ms. Healey thanks Assistant State’s Attorney Matthew George for his hard work on this case for the last year and for taking the matter to trial to seek justice for this victim. Ms. Healey further thanks Deputy First Class Mansell, Detective Sergent, and the Harford County Sheriff’s Office’s Criminal Investigative Division for their efforts in thoroughly investigating the case.