Teen charged with sex assault, series of burglaries
Being held without bond in juvenile facility
A 16-year-old Nanjemoy boy held without bond for allegedly sexually assaulting and attempting to rape a woman in December recently had 10 unrelated, separate burglary cases pending against him transferred into adult criminal jurisdiction in Charles County Circuit Court.
Terelle Shawan Carroll appeared in court for a
waiver hearing earlier this month where Judge James West made his ruling after hearing arguments from public defender Michael Beach, who asked West to consider juvenile jurisdiction for all 11 cases, and Charles County State’s Attorney Anthony Covington (D), who requested Carroll be charged as an adult.
Despite the unfavorable ruling for the defense, Carroll won a small victory. Without contest from Covington, West allowed Carroll to be housed at a juvenile pre-trial detention center in Prince George’s County, instead of the Charles County Detention Center where he had been since early March when DNA evidence found at the scene of the December sexual assault prompted an arrest warrant, according to court proceedings.
On Dec. 29 around 8:02 p.m., officers of the sheriff’s office responded to a house on the 3400 block of Port Tobacco Road, about 2 miles from Carroll’s listed address, for a reported burglary.
Upon arrival, police made contact with the victim who told them that she had been sexually assaulted. She said that earlier in the evening she heard someone knock on her front door, but she did not look to see who it was. Shortly after that, she heard glass shatter. When she walked over to investigate the noise, she was confronted by a hooded black man in her living room, who demanded money, according to charging documents.
After the victim surrendered $50 in cash, “the suspect then threatened to shoot [her] unless she performed fellatio on him,” charging documents state. The victim tried to run, but the man, believed to be Carroll, allegedly knocked her to the ground.
The victim told police that she believed he had a gun, although she could not clearly see it. Fearing for her life, the woman complied with her assailant’s demands.
“The suspect repeatedly told her he was armed and would kill her if she did not comply,” Det. Johnson wrote in his report.
Johnson also noted that he was investigating a series of recent burglaries in the Nanjemoy area and had developed Carroll as a suspect.
Court proceedings revealed that Carroll was the alleged “ringleader” for a series of home burglaries and thefts from vehicles with two other juveniles who have already pleaded guilty.
On Sept. 4 and 5, Carroll and accomplices allegedly stole a laptop, a camcorder, and cell phone, court records show.
On Sept. 28, Carroll allegedly broke into a home and stole between $1,000 to $10,000 worth of jewelry, property and money.
On Sept. 28 and 29, Carroll allegedly stole a longboard, backpack, sunglasses, phone case, clothing, first-aid kit, and other items.
On Oct. 9 and 10, Carroll allegedly broke into a home and stole a tablet computer, food, and other property, and unlawfully entered multiple cars.
On Oct. 17, Carroll allegedly broke into a home and stole between $1,000 to $10,000 worth of firearms, ammunition, shoes and money. Another indictment alleges that on the same day he broke into another home and stole electronics, money and property valued between $1,000 to $10,000.
On Oct. 20, Carroll allegedly broke into a home and stole video game consoles, games and controllers, an iPod, and other property. Another indictment alleges on the same day, he broken into another home and stole a safe, jewelry, a table and money.
On Nov. 6, detectives collected DNA from Carroll as a suspect in a series of burglaries in the Nanjemoy area.
Sometime between Nov. 27 and 29, Carroll allegedly stole property from several different people, including money, medicine, an iPod, a camera, a knife, a flashlight, a backpack and clothing.
On Dec. 29, he allegedly broke into the home in Nanjemoy and sexually assaulted and attempted to rape a woman. He was finally arrested and held without bond in early March when forensic findings allegedly connected his DNA to the crime scene.
During the waiver hearing on June 8, Covington said that the sexual assault was premeditated, referring to a statement he gave to a detective. Carroll saw the victim inside the house before breaking in, hooded and masked, Covington said.
Called by the defense, Dr. Eric Lane testified during the hearing that Carroll was “hyper-sexual” and suffered from an “unspecific depressive disorder.” He said Carroll demonstrated behavior of “maladaptive coping” by watching an excessive amount of pornography, sometimes in the school bathroom, and smoking marijuana several times a day.
Lane recommended that Carroll remain in the jurisdiction of the Department of Juvenile Services to receive mental health treatment. There’s no evidence that Carroll is immutable, Lane said, considering that he has never had a treatment opportunity.
“He’s 16; he’s a kid. He’s never had a chance to have therapeutic services,” Beach argued. “He’s not beyond repair … He needs treatment for hyper-sexuality and he’s not going to get that at Division of Corrections.”
Covington argued that Carroll posed a significant danger to the community, as tests conducted by Lane indicated.
“Why does the community have to take a risk?” Covington asked. “There’s plenty of treatment on the adult side,” adding that the alleged sexual assault occurred after Carroll was aware he was a suspect in a police investigation. “That informs me about his immutability. I hope it does for you as well, your honor.”
“Ain’t no scare in this defendant,” he continued. “That’s terrifying to this community, terrifying.”
Ultimately, West ruled to have all pending cases transferred to adult jurisdiction, while Carroll will remain in custody, held at a juvenile pre-trial detention center.