On July 24, 2019, Travis Brandon Young entered a plea of guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin. The plea stems from a traffic stop on February 7, 2019 in which Tfc. Pope of the Maryland State Police stopped Mr. Young for speeding (97 miles per hour in a posted 55 mile per hour zone). During the course of the traffic stop, Tfc. Pope found that two minor children, ages 8 and 4, were located in the back seat of the car, not secured properly with seatbelts and/or safety seats. Additionally, Mr. Young was found to be in possession of controlled dangerous substances. The suspected drugs and Mr. Young’s cellular telephone were seized. A subsequent investigation by Cpl. Buckius, also of the Maryland State Police, revealed that Mr. Young possessed the drugs with intent to distribute. The Maryland State Police Crime Lab confirmed the drugs to be 4.9 grams of heroin.
Mr. Young’s criminal record is extensive: 2007 Fourth Degree Burglary, 2006 Possession CDS Paraphernalia, 2009 Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana, 2011 Malicious Destruction of Property and Fail to Obey, 2011 Possession with Intent to Distribute Narcotics and Possession of Firearm After Disqualifying Conviction, 2013 Possession with Intent to Distribute Narcotics, and 2013 Two Counts of Rifle/Shotgun Possession with Felony Conviction. Mr. Young was on probation through the Caroline County Circuit Court for the two 2013 criminal matters when he committed the instant offense. He was charged and found to be in violation of his probation; his sanction in those matters was seven years to serve at the Division of Correction and five years execution of suspended time in favor of supervised probation upon his release from incarceration.
In the current matter, the Hon. Whalen sentenced Mr. Young to 12 years of incarceration at the Division of Correction. This sentence reflects the severity of Mr. Young’s record, the seriousness of the offense as well as risk to the community, while taking into account his age and drug addiction.
The case was prosecuted Christine Dulla Rickard, Deputy State’s Attorney.