Officer was suspended in March pending trial

Charles County, MD…On August 31, NiJee Pierre McWillis, a Charles County correctional officer pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of misconduct in office. In May, McWillis was indicted on two misdemeanor charges: misconduct in office and unauthorized access to computers and related material. An additional charge of copy / possession of a database was later added. In entering the plea, the charges of unauthorized access and copy / possession of a database were nolle prossed, meaning the charges will be dismissed by the Charles County State’s Attorney’s Office (SAO). Sentencing for McWillis is scheduled for later this month. McWillis was relieved of his duties and suspended in March after the Agency was made aware that he was alleged to have violated the privacy of an arrestee’s cell phone during the booking process. In accordance with Agency policy, the CCSO’s Office of Professional Responsibility conducted an administrative investigation and the Criminal Investigations Division collaborated with the Charles County SAO to address the potential violations of Maryland Law. Sheriff Troy D. Berry said, “I want to continue to keep our community up to date on this investigation and reassure them that we investigated these allegations to the fullest extent. This correctional officer’s actions are contrary to the values and the professionalism of the Agency.” The Charles County Sheriff’s Office is committed to maintaining public trust and encourages anyone with a complaint to contact the agency or submit a complaint via the CCSO website: www.ccso.us.

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.