Maryland
‘Too good to be true’: 4 arrested after Maryland woman scammed out of nearly $40,000
The four people arrested are from Alabama and Tennessee, and police say they were able to use a so-called ‘pigeon drop’ scam to steal the cash. They were arrested approaching a new victim, police said
Maryland authorities have arrested three people from Alabama and one from Tennessee after they say the group conned an older woman out of tens of thousands of dollars.
Police in Prince George’s County, which is in metro Washington, D.C., arrested the four suspects “moments after” they were approached “their next potential victim” in a shopping center parking lot on Oct. 24, the department said Wednesday in a Facebook post.
Police became aware of the group on Oct. 22 after a woman called 911 and reported being scammed, police said.
Here’s what you need to know, including how the scam works.
What is a ‘pigeon drop’ scam?
Police say the group used a “pigeon drop” scam, which involves suspects “convincing a victim to give them a large amount of cash as collateral with the hope of sharing a sum of money.”
In this case, two of the suspects encountered the woman outside a business on Oct. 21 in the District Heights, Maryland area, police said. They told the woman they found a bag full of money and asked if it belonged to her, police said.
The suspects then convinced the woman to donate the money to charity instead of turning it into the police, according to the Facebook post. They persuaded the woman to withdraw money from her bank account to exchange those bills with the found cash so no one could trace the donation, police said.
Over two days, the woman withdrew nearly $40,000 from her account, which the suspects stole, police said. Upon realizing that she was being scammed, the woman called the police on Oct. 22.
Police describe the woman as “elderly” but did not share her age.
Four in custody after alleged ‘pigeon drop’
Prince George’s County Police have arrested: 77-year-old James Davis, 64-year-old Connie Williams, 59-year-old Mary Daniel and 36-year-old Kenneth Gooden. Davis, Williams and Daniel are from Birmingham, Alabama, while Daniel is from Antioch, Tennessee.
They remained in custody Wednesday but it’s unclear if they’ve been given a bond. USA TODAY could not immediately identify whether they had obtained an attorney.
The department said there could be other victims in the case and urged anyone who thinks they’ve been scammed to call authorities.
“The (department) reminds residents to never give money or financial information to anyone who you just met in person, online or on the phone,” the agency said. “If something seems to be good to be true, it usually is.”
Maryland
Multiple 911 callers report shots fired at Maryland’s Myrtle Point Park
ST. MARY’S COUNTY, Md. (7News) — An investigation is underway into a shooting at Myrtle Point Park in St. Mary’s County on Wednesday evening.
The sheriff’s office said multiple 911 calls were received around 6:53 p.m. alerting to shots fired. However, no injuries have been reported.
SEE ALSO | Man found dead after being run over by vehicle in Prince George’s County
Myrtle Point Park is a waterside park located in California, Maryland, with a beach, picnic area and trails. It remains closed Thursday while deputies continue to investigate.
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If you have any information on the shooting, call 301-475-8008.
Maryland
Storms move into Maryland Wednesday evening
Maryland
Md. Department of Education committee begins search for permanent Prince George’s schools chief – WTOP News
Current Superintendent Shawn Joseph was appointed June 2025 by County Executive Aisha Braveboy (D) to replace former Superintendent Millard House II after the teachers’ union gave House a vote of no confidence.
This article was republished with permission from WTOP’s news partners at Maryland Matters. Sign up for Maryland Matters’ free email subscription today.
The Maryland State Department of Education announced the next steps Monday in the process to find a permanent superintendent for Prince George’s County public schools, the state’s second-largest school system.
Current Superintendent Shawn Joseph was appointed June 2025 by County Executive Aisha Braveboy (D) to replace former Superintendent Millard House II after the teachers’ union gave House a vote of no confidence.
Because Joseph’s position is for the current 2025-26 school year, state law requires a three-member search committee be named to help find a permanent leader.
State Superintendent Carey Wright selected state Board of Education member James Bell Jr. to chair the committee. Gov. Wes Moore (D) appointed two county residents, Jennifer Avelar and Gordon L. Sampson, to join the panel.
Avelar serves as a C.O.A.S.T. (Creating Opportunities for Academic Success and Transfer) adviser at Prince George’s Community College, managing pre-enrollment advising for recruitment and the dual enrollment program for high school students. Sampson worked in the county’s public schools as a teacher, instructional specialist and principal from 1969 until his retirement in 2000. He became a member of the Bowie State University Foundation’s board of directors in 2017 and served as chair for five years.
PoliHire, a Washington, D.C. based search firm, will partner with Braveboy and the county’s school board in a national recruitment effort to find the next superintendent.
The department said the firm helped solicit feedback from various stakeholders to not only develop a leadership profile, but also garner responses from about 8,600 people in a community survey “on school system perspectives and qualities in the next superintendent.” The survey ended Friday.
Candidates interested in the position must submit applications by April 22. Once received, the committee will work with the firm to screen applications, conduct background checks and interview candidates.
Three finalists will be forwarded to Braveboy by May 8.
Braveboy has until June 1 to forward a candidate to the county school board, which must make a decision by June 30. Once the county executive selects a candidate, which must be done by June 1, that person’s name will be sent to the county school board for its approval by June 30.
Final approval rests with the state superintendent, for a schools chief to serve a four-year term.
“We remain committed to a transparent, inclusive, and thoughtful process.” Bell said in a statement Monday. “Over the coming weeks, committee members will carefully assess each applicant’s qualifications, leadership experience, and vision for advancing student achievement and supporting our educators and school communities.
“The committee will keep the Prince George’s County Public Schools community informed as we move forward. Our goal is to recommend highly qualified candidates who will lead Prince George’s County Public Schools into its next chapter of excellence,” he said.
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