On August 20 at 4:44 p.m., a patrol officer initiated a traffic stop in the 4500 block of Indian Head Highway. The officer learned the vehicle’s tags were suspended for an insurance violation and there was a pick-up order from MVA. The driver pulled into the parking lot of a convenience store, exited his car, and walked away from his vehicle. He initially refused to return to the car, but subsequently complied and returned. Upon approaching the vehicle, the officer smelled a strong odor of marijuana. A large bag containing 39 individually packaged bags of marijuana and a loaded semi-automatic firearm were recovered from the front portion of the vehicle. Cary Frederick Collins, 47, of Upper Marlboro, was charged with illegal possession of a loaded firearm in a vehicle, possession of drugs with the intent to distribute, and other related charges. On August 22, a judge released Collins from the Charles County Detention Center on personal recognizance. Officer Kerlin is investigating.

Cary Collins

CONTACT:
Diane Richardson
Media Relations Office
(301) 609-6557 or (240) 682-1658

The Charles County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) was accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA) in 2001 and has since earned the highest rating of Excellence. Established in 1658, the CCSO is one of the oldest law enforcement agencies in the United States. For more information, visit www.ccso.us.

Charles County Crime Solvers offers rewards of up to $1,000 for information that leads to the arrest or indictment of a person responsible for a crime in Charles County. All individuals who provide tips through Crime Solvers will remain anonymous. Anyone with information about an unsolved crime or the location of a fugitive may contact Charles County Crime Solvers by calling 1-866-411-TIPS. Tips can also be submitted online at www.charlescountycrimesolvers.com or by using the P3Intel mobile app, which can be found in the Android Store and Apple store by searching P3tips. For more information about the P3 program, click on this link: www.p3intel.com. 

###