On February 13 at 2:50 p.m., officers were conducting a traffic assignment from the Maryland Highway Safety Office Distracted Driving Grant when they initiated a traffic stop in the area of Smallwood Drive and Barrington Drive. Upon approaching the car, the officer observed drug paraphernalia and detected the odor of marijuana. Further investigation led to the recovery of a large bag of suspected marijuana and a loaded polymer “ghost” gun –meaning the gun did not have a serial number – inside the vehicle. The occupants, Jalen Sincere William Hayes, 22, and Renia Janice Batista, 21, both from Oxon Hill, were arrested and charged with illegal possession of a firearm, transporting a loaded firearm in a vehicle and other related charges. On February 14, a judge released Hayes and Batista from the Charles County Detention Center on personal recognizance.
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- Renia Batista
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- Jalen Hayes
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.