Commitment to Justice

Annapolis Man Receives 15 Years for Fleeing Scene of Accident and Assaulting Anne Arundel County Police Officers, Additional Charges

Brandon Hardy, 26, of Annapolis was sentenced to 15 years of active incarceration and is subject to an additional five years which were suspended for 13 charges including two counts of second degree assault against Anne Arundel County Police Officers Saifedlin Hussain and James Yee as well as a litany of felony drug charges for possession with intent to distribute controlled dangerous substances.

The defendant is subject to an additional five years of incarceration if he violates probation.

A jury found the defendant guilty of the charges on July 7, 2022.

“With this sentence, the defendant will be spending many years in prison and will no longer be a danger to law enforcement officers or our community,” said State’s Attorney Anne Colt Leitess. “I would like to thank Officer Hussain and Yee for their dedication to keeping our streets safe and grateful that no one was severely injured during this incident.”

Assistant State’s Attorney Marot Williamson prosecuted this case on behalf of the citizens of Anne Arundel County.

Intoxicated and Distracted Driver Receives 20 Years in Fatal Motor Vehicle Crash

Guarav “Sonny” Rawal, 38, owner of Champs Pizza in Glen Burnie was sentenced to 20 years of active incarceration for negligent manslaughter and failing to remain at the scene of a collision involving in the death of Anthony Jean-Louis, 37. Rawal was sentenced as a subsequent offender, having two prior driving while impaired cases in 2012 and 2018. The defendant was intoxicated at the time of the crash, was using the app Snapchat on his phone while driving at an excessive speed, 110 mph, when he slammed into the back of the victim’s car causing him to lose control, overturn and crash into a nearby guardrail.

The defendant entered a guilty plea on December 16, 2021.

“The defendant’s reckless disregard for others is evident by his actions throughout this crime from the level of intoxication, to the excessive speeding, to the use of his cell phone and then leaving the scene of a fatal crash. The most appropriate sentence for this defendant is his removal from our community to protect others,” said State’s Attorney Anne Colt Leitess. “Mr. Jean-Louis was senselessly killed by an out of control driver and his family has suffered from this unimaginable event.”

Assistant State’s Attorney Carolynn Grammas prosecuted this case on behalf of the citizens of Anne Arundel County.

Great Uncle Receives 18 Years for Sexual Abuse of Niece

Dennis Moreno,55, of Norwalk, Calif. entered an Alford plea to one count of sex abuse of a minor and was sentenced to 18 years of active incarceration on March 24, 2022.

“It’s beyond devastating that a child’s great uncle would not only abuse his own niece, but also that he was given this kind of access to her despite their extended family’s knowledge of his history of abusing another child in the family. Instead of reporting him perhaps preventing the abuse of this victim, the defendant’s family looked the other way,” said State’s Attorney Anne Colt Leitess. “The victim, now a teenager, lived with this pain for years as the defendant exploited and abused her as he had done to her older cousin. It is because of her remarkable strength in coming forward, that the defendant will finally be held accountable for his despicable actions. This victim, and her cousin, now 32 years old, both suffered from the inaction of people who stood silent and did nothing to protect them.”

Assistant State’s Attorney Maria Stamidis prosecuted this case on behalf of the citizens of Anne Arundel County.