Prince George's County authorities are searching for Henry Vasquez-Pineda, who is wanted on a first-degree assault warrant after allegedly cutting off the electronic ankle monitor he was wearing under court supervision. Investigators say the device removal has turned what was a monitored pretrial case into an active fugitive search, and they are now asking the public for help finding him.
The Prince George's County Office of the Sheriff shared the wanted bulletin in a Facebook post as part of its recurring #WantedWednesday campaign, which the office regularly uses to enlist public help locating fugitives wanted on outstanding felony warrants. Vasquez-Pineda had been fitted with an electronic ankle monitor as a condition of his release before authorities say he removed it. Anyone with information on his whereabouts can email [email protected] or call authorities anonymously at (301) 780-8500, and tipsters can also reach Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).
What First-Degree Assault Carries Under Maryland Law
If convicted, Vasquez-Pineda faces the penalties attached to first-degree assault, a felony classified under Maryland Criminal Law Code § 3-202 that carries a maximum sentence of up to 25 years in prison, according to The Cohen Law Firm. The charge requires proof of intent to cause serious physical injury or an assault committed with a firearm. Because first-degree assault is legally categorized as a crime of violence under Maryland law, anyone convicted must serve at least 50 percent of the sentence before becoming eligible for parole, per Scott MacMullan Law.
The alleged removal of the ankle monitor itself carries separate legal consequences. Under Maryland Criminal Law Code § 9-405, disabling or removing an electronic monitoring device while under court supervision constitutes second-degree escape, a misdemeanor punishable by up to three years in prison and a $5,000 fine, according to FrizWoods. Any sentence for that escape charge must run consecutively to whatever sentence is imposed on the underlying assault charge, the firm notes, meaning the two potential penalties would stack rather than overlap.
How the Alert System Is Supposed to Work
State regulations governing private home detention monitoring agencies require providers to notify court officials and local law enforcement within one hour if a supervised individual tampers with their equipment, per the Maryland General Assembly. That rapid notification requirement is meant to convert a tamper alert into a fast law-enforcement response, though the dossier does not specify how much time passed between Vasquez-Pineda's alleged removal of the device and the public bulletin seeking him. Locally, the Population Management Division of the Prince George's County Department of Corrections oversees the community supervision programs, including pretrial release monitoring and home detention, that place people like Vasquez-Pineda under electronic watch while their cases proceed.
Cases in which defendants cut off their monitors and disappear are not unique to this one. In December 2025, Erica Terry was arrested and charged with second-degree escape, according to Bowie Patch. Similar incidents have surfaced elsewhere in the state this year, including a Great Mills man arrested in May after cutting off his monitor because he said it was too tight, and a St. Mary's County woman charged with second-degree escape in August after her monitor sent a tamper alert to detention center staff.
Reward Money Available Through Crime Solvers
Prince George's County Crime Solvers is listed as an anonymous tip channel. Details about any reward fund's funding were not provided. Sheriff's officials have not released additional details on Vasquez-Pineda's description or the circumstances of the alleged assault, and it remains unknown how long he has evaded capture since the monitor was removed.
The bulletin is an appeal from the sheriff's office for information and provides anonymous tip contact channels. The article does not provide verified examples of similar prior coverage. For now, authorities are relying on the same combination of tip lines and public pressure to track down Vasquez-Pineda before his case moves any further.
