In a series of coordinated efforts to curb drug-related offenses, the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office conducted multiple traffic stops over a span of six hours, resulting in three arrests for drug possession and paraphernalia.
The first incident occurred at about 10:05 p.m. on Thursday, August 1, in Lexington Park. Deputies Joseph Senatore and Travis Wimberly were on patrol when they noticed a silver Jeep Cherokee speeding out of a residential parking lot and subsequently running a stop sign. Upon stopping the vehicle, they called for K9 assistance, leading to the discovery of narcotics inside the car.
The driver, identified as James Henry Elam III, 42, from Lexington Park, and the passenger, Antonio Roberto Belen, 38, also from Lexington Park, were found in possession of substances including suspected cocaine, buprenorphine hydrochloride pills, and a suboxone strip. Both Elam and Belen faced multiple charges relating to possession of controlled dangerous substances (CDS) and paraphernalia.
A second operation took place at 3:30 a.m. on Friday, August 2, involving another traffic stop on a blue Jeep Cherokee for an equipment violation at the intersection of Three Notch Road and Miramar Way in California, MD. During this stop, Deputy Senatore noted the behavior of rear-seat passenger Kevin Wendell Barnes, 55, from Lexington Park, and requested K9 assistance once again. The K9’s detection led to the discovery of bags containing crack cocaine and other drug-related paraphernalia on the rear seat.
Barnes was arrested and charged with two counts each of CDS: Possession – Not Cannabis and CDS: Possession of Paraphernalia.
All three suspects were transported to the Detention and Rehabilitation Center in Leonardtown, where they awaited bond hearings.
These arrests highlight the ongoing proactive measures by the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office to address drug activity within the community. The effective use of K9 units in these instances underscores the critical role they play in law enforcement’s efforts to maintain public safety and enforce the law.
