A late-morning speeding stop outside the Matapeake School Complex ended with a Stevensville man in handcuffs, a loaded handgun seized, and a cache of pills collected as evidence, according to county authorities. The Feb. 24 stop unfolded on Route 8 at Camp Wright Lane around 9:55 a.m. The driver, identified by the sheriff’s office as 61-year-old James Brown of Stevensville, now faces drug and firearm charges, including possession with intent to distribute near a school. He was taken into custody at the scene.
Traffic stop and search
Per WMDT, Deputy First Class Schultz clocked a vehicle at 56 mph in a 40 mph zone and pulled it over near the Matapeake School Complex. After the deputy performed a tint‑meter check that returned a reading of 15, a K9 team was called in to scan the vehicle. When the K9 gave a positive alert, deputies conducted a probable‑cause search, which they say turned up contraband and a firearm.
K9 alerts and local enforcement practice
The Queen Anne’s County Office of the Sheriff regularly deploys K9 teams and highlights vehicle searches and traffic enforcement efforts in its press releases and online updates, describing them as tools to get illegal drugs and weapons off local roads. The agency’s press page catalogues prior incidents in which K9 alerts led deputies to contraband and arrests, and it lists contact information for residents who want to submit tips. The sheriff’s office also uses its site to share community safety advice and program information.
Evidence recovered and charges
During the search, deputies say they found a loaded semi‑automatic handgun in the vehicle’s center console and 88 oxycodone pills on Brown’s person, along with CDS paraphernalia, as reported by WMDT. The sheriff’s office charged Brown with possession of a controlled dangerous substance with intent to distribute near a school, firearm use in a felony, and a range of related drug and traffic offenses. Authorities say he was booked following the arrest.
Maryland law on school‑zone distribution
Maryland law makes it a crime to manufacture, distribute, or possess with intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance in, on, or within 1,000 feet of school property, and it allows enhanced penalties for those violations. For a first offense, the statute authorizes imprisonment of up to 20 years or a fine of up to $20,000, with tougher mandatory terms for repeat offenders. The statute’s language and penalty structure are outlined in Maryland Code §5‑627.
What’s next
Brown remains in custody as the case moves through the county criminal‑justice system and court records are updated. Anyone with information related to the incident can contact the Queen Anne’s County Office of the Sheriff through the website and tip line listed on the department’s pages. The sheriff’s office says stepped-up enforcement in school zones and attention to vehicle‑safety rules are aimed at protecting students and the wider community.
