Family Crime Ring – Mechanicsville trio arrested in major drug and gun deal – Southern Maryland News Net

James Nathaniel Reed, 77, John Kevin Fitzgerald Reed, 60, and Francis Laverman Reed, 55, all of Mechanicsville

Three Mechanicsville men have been charged with a number of drug and weapons offenses following an investigation by the St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office.

James Nathaniel Reed, 77, of Mechanicsville

James Nathaniel Reed, 77, of Mechanicsville, is charged with multiple charges related to drug trafficking and firearm possession. According to the indictment, as of December 8, 2023, Reed allegedly possessed multiple firearms, including a Winchester Model 370 20-gauge shotgun, a Mossberg 320K .22 caliber rifle, an Ithaca 87 12-gauge shotgun, and other firearms in connection with drug trafficking offenses. He is charged with seven counts of firearm/drug trafficking offenses, each involving different firearms. In addition, Reed is charged with maintaining a public disorderly conduct in his residence by illegally distributing a narcotic, controlled dangerous substance, specifically cocaine. Reed faces significant penalties, including up to 20 years in prison for each firearm/drug trafficking charge.

Reed was placed under Level 3 supervision at St. Mary's County Detention and Rehabilitation Center. His supervision includes house arrest, one in-person meeting and three phone calls with a case manager per week. In addition, Reed is subject to electronic monitoring with a Personal Tracking Unit (PTU) and random urine and breath alcohol testing. He must comply with general and special conditions as determined by the court and his case manager.

John Kevin Fitzgerald Reed, 60, of Mechanicsville

John Kevin Fitzgerald Reed, 60, also of Mechanicsville, is charged with a total of 23 counts of drug trafficking and firearm offenses. The indictment alleges that on December 8, 2023, John Reed possessed large quantities of controlled dangerous substances (CDS), including cocaine, oxycodone, hydrocodone, buprenorphine, clonazepam, morphine, amphetamine, and fentanyl, with the intent to distribute. He is also charged with possession of firearms during drug trafficking, including a Ruger .38 Special revolver and a Ruger P95DC pistol, some of which were allegedly stolen. Additional charges include possession of proceeds of a controlled dangerous substance offense and maintaining a public nuisance by trafficking drugs at his residence from June 1, 2023, to December 8, 2023.

John Reed has been placed on Level 1 supervision, which requires one in-person meeting and one phone call with his case manager per week. He must also submit to random urine and breath alcohol tests. John Reed must comply with any special conditions ordered by the court or requested by his case manager.

Francis Laverman Reed, 55, of Mechanicsville

Francis Laverman Reed, 55, of Mechanicsville, is charged with several serious crimes related to drug trafficking and firearms. According to court documents, Francis Reed is accused of possessing a firearm, namely a 9mm 1911 pistol, in connection with a drug trafficking offense on December 8, 2023. He is also charged with maintaining a public nuisance by illegally distributing cocaine at his residence from June 1, 2023, to December 8, 2023. In addition, he is charged with possession of a regulated firearm after a felony conviction.

Francis Reed was placed on Level 3 supervision. Like James Reed, his conditions include house arrest with one in-person meeting and three weekly phone check-ins with a case manager for the evaluation. He is also subject to electronic monitoring and random drug and alcohol testing. Francis Reed must comply with all general and special conditions set forth by the court.

After the District Court for St. Mary's County issued arrest warrants, all three defendants were arrested by police. The arrests came after St. Mary's County District Attorney Lisa M. Ridge requested the warrants, fearing that the defendants would not comply with a subpoena due to the seriousness of the charges. Each defendant was subsequently placed under special supervision to ensure that they comply with court orders while awaiting trial.

For members of the Reed family in St. Mary's County, this is not the first encounter with the police:

John K. Reed was previously arrested on June 3, 2017, for several felony charges, including possession of a firearm after a felony conviction and possession of various controlled substances including crack cocaine, morphine, tramadol, and alprazolam. He was additionally charged with manufacturing crack cocaine.
The Reed family's ongoing involvement in criminal activity has attracted significant attention from law enforcement and the community in St. Mary's County. Their repeated offenses underscore the challenges authorities face in combating ongoing criminal behavior within the community.

John Kevin Fitzgerald Reed, 60, of Mechanicsville

Francis Laverman Reed, 55, of Mechanicsville

James Nathaniel Reed, 77, of Mechanicsville

This entry was posted on August 23, 2024 at 4:26 pm and is filed under A, All News, County, Law Enforcement, St. Mary's News, Top News, z 600X120 Top Ad Bottom, z 600X120 Top Ad Top. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.