Ocean City officer turns taxi into mobile bust-maker

The Tipsy Taxi, shown above, was used by an undercover Ocean City police officer to make drug busts in Operation Sand Dollar. / SCOTT MUSKA/THE DAILY TIMES

OCEAN CITY -- An Ocean City police officer worked undercover as a taxi driver for nearly two years as the nucleus of an undercover drug sting that led to the identification of 34 suspects and the filing of more than 100 drug-related charges.

In January 2010, OCPD began "Operation Sand Dollar" when it acquired a taxi medallion for a legitimate business: a one-man, one-vehicle fleet dubbed Tipsy Taxi. An undercover officer took the keys of a silver minivan, which he drove around town picking up honest fares -- while also forging relationships with people with whom he subsequently made drug deals.

The majority of the deals involved pharmaceutical drugs. Some deals took place in the cab, while others occurred in other venues, according to Ocean City Police Chief Bernadette DiPino.

This Jan. 25, a Worcester County grand jury indicted the 34 suspects, and police began rounding them up Feb. 2 to face a total of 91 controlled substance distribution charges and 28 conspiracy to distribute controlled substances charges.

Twenty-two suspects were apprehended, four were already in custody for unrelated charges, one had died and the remaining names have been forwarded to the state's apprehension team.

Most of the suspects are locals; tourists were not targeted during the operation, according to DiPino.

The department is not releasing the name of the officer or specific details about the operational procedures he used to identify suspects, but DiPino said he would essentially meet people, determine whether they may be selling drugs and then he would "go from there."

"It's quite simple, actually," DiPino said at the Ocean City Public Safety Building.

She thanked the officer multiple times for the sacrifices he and his family made as part of the effort to lessen the resort's drug trafficking.

"It is not an easy thing to give up your life for that amount of time," she said.

OCPD decided on the taxi company operation during brainstorming sessions centering on how to combat drug activity in the downtown area, according to DiPino. The department knew cabs were a popular mode of transportation for people who buy and sell drugs, and working as a taxi driver could allow an undercover officer to expose himself to some social circles that include people who may be committing drug-related offenses.

OCPD used the money the driver acquired from his fares and tips to help fund the operation. More was pumped into it by the department than was made by the cop-turned-cabbie, DiPino said, so the department did not profit from the sting. The amount spent on the operation was not disclosed by police.
DiPino thanked former city manager Dennis Dare, who knew of the operation from its inception. It would not have been possible without his support, she said.

The city manager is in charge of bringing taxi medallion awards and transfers to the Town Council for approval.

Doug Cymek said he and other councilmembers weren't aware of the operation when they approved a medallion issuance for Tipsy Taxi, and he only found out about the sting after the indictments.

Worcester County State's Attorney Beau Oglesby said he isn't worried that OCPD's methods during the sting will be legally construed as entrapment.

"Believe me, we were very thorough in our review of the cases," he said, adding some of the customers who encountered the operation were not prosecuted. "We vetted the entire investigation, and I think we have very solid cases."

One owner of a resort taxi company who asked not to be named said he thinks OCPD's operation was a good idea.

"You've gotta do what you gotta do to keep the street safe," he said.

"If anything, it's going to make people more comfortable (in cabs), thinking the driver could be a cop, and it's gonna teach the people who are bad not to talk to the cab driver about those things."

Operation Sand Dollar's success carries with it a message to drug dealers and other criminals that they can never know for sure who is and who is not an undercover cop, according to DiPino, who said they could be undercover as a bartender, a bus driver or even a street performer. DiPino added that threats had been made against the undercover officer, and the department would be searching for those who made them while also protecting the policeman and his family.

Watermen keep OC harbor busy

• • D

Commercial fisherman Sonny Gwin brings in a recent catch consisting of lobsters, jonah crabs, monkfish, tile fish and black sea bass at the Ocean City Commercial Harbor. Shown above are fish caught by commercial fisherman Jerry Lamberton. / ERIC DOERZBACH/THE DAILY TIMES

WEST OCEAN CITY -- It's unlikely you'll just stumble upon the Maryland coastline's only commercial fishing harbor.

But it's there, and it's moving millions of pounds of seafood. In 2010, more than 8 million pounds of catch, valued at more than $8 million, was harvested by commercial vessels that dock there.

The Ocean City Commercial Harbor is across the Route 50 Bridge from the resort, in West Ocean City, nestled about a half-mile south of the road hundreds of thousands of people travel on annually to get to and from town. However, unless a first-time tourist hears about one of the restaurants or seafood markets surrounding the docks, they're probably not going to end up in the area.

But get there early enough in the morning and you'll see the commercial fishing vessels that dock at the harbor and venture out to sea. At first light, they snake through the channels where the Sinepuxent Bay meets the Isle of Wight Bay, through the Ocean City Inlet that separates the resort from Assateague Island and out to the open ocean.

In the winter months, fishermen typically stay out until mid- to late-afternoon. In the summer, they may stay out even longer before returning to the docks, depending on the weather. There are also watermen who venture out on trip boats and stay out to sea for days or weeks at a time.

Some of them stick to state-regulated waters and others go federal -- between three and 20 miles offshore -- depending on individual permitting and the species of fish, mollusk or crustacean they're seeking.

Some acquire permitting for both areas, according to Carrie Kennedy, the coastal fisheries program manager for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.

In state waters, they can get permits for horseshoe crab, black seabass and summer flounder, among others, she said. Watermen in the area also catch surf clams, blue crabs, scallops, conk, welk, rockfish, tuna and swordfish, among others, according to MDNR biologist Steve Doctor.

Money in scallops

For the last half-decade, scallops have been the most profitable catch reported in the harbor. In 2010, more than 150,000 pounds of scallops worth more than $1 million were reported, according to data gathered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The scallops' value more than doubles that of any of the other species caught by commercial vessels that dock at the bay.

The amount of scallops trawled decreased in 2010 from previous years. In both 2009 and 2008, more than 500,000 pounds of scallops were reported from the harbor, totaling more than $3 million in value.
"Based on some federal regulations, access to scallops has decreased," Kennedy said.

The second- and third-most-profitable catches in 2010 were summer flounder and black sea bass, at about 221,000 pounds for about $444,000 and about 150,000 pounds for about $439,000, respectively.

Generally, the licensed commercial fleet coming out of Maryland fluctuates between about 30 and 50 anglers, according to Kennedy. It falls on the Coast Guard to ensure these fishermen and their boats stay in compliance with the regulations their permits dictate, according to Petty Officer William King, who works out of the Ocean City station.

They perform routine safety inspections, sometimes while the boats are at port, but most of the time randomly boarding vessels while they're out at sea.

While on board, they make sure the watermen are inside the legal limits for fish size and catch. They also check to see if required safety gear is on board, and that the captain and others have the proper licensing. In the winter months, the Coast Guard does about two to five inspections a month, King said.

Waterman John Martin said the officers don't interfere with the fishing while they're on board.
"We try to stay out of their way when they're doing business, because the commercial business is very competitive," King said. "We just make sure what they're doing is legal."

Catch quotas

The Atlantic Girl, a blue and white trawler captained by Martin, varies in crew size. When the boat is scalloping in the springtime, six crew members are on board, and when they're fishing for flounder, there are only three. They're paid a share based on the amount of seafood caught, and the amount is dictated by national- and state-mandated quotas and how successful the crew is at meeting them.

The quotas are either time- or weight-based, depending on what is being sought and the size of the ship. For instance, the Atlantic Girl went on two closed-area trips in 2011, which means it had to stick to a certain part of the water, and that the crew could get up to 14,000 pounds of scallops per trip.
There are also day quotas, of which the Atlantic Girl took 15 for scalloping and in which there is a 24-hour period to fetch as many of the mollusks as possible.

For most of the species fished off the Maryland coast, the quota figures have stayed basically the same for a number of years, according to Doctor, who added that "pretty much everything" is quota-based at present.

Martin also works at Martin Fish Co., a fresh seafood store on the harbor that sells fresh, locally caught fare. Some of it comes from the Atlantic Girl's catch, and some is purchased from other commercial fishermen. The company is owned by his father and has been in the Martin family since his grandfather started the business in the 1940s.

Waterman's Seafood is located on Route 50 a couple miles from the harbor, and it consistently buys from the crew of The Potluck, a commercial ship that ports in West Ocean City.

"We like to try and help out the local guys, to try and keep the money at home," said assistant manager Jeff Solembrino. It's good for the local economy, he added.

 

Islam controversies not mentioned in general's OC talk

• • Del.icio.uDi

Pastor John Abent gives the opening prayer at the Ocean City Mayor's Prayer Breakfast as Pastor Paul Klaverweiden, Ocean City Hotel-Motel Restaurant Association Executive Director Susan Jones, Mayor Rick Meehan, retired Lt. Gen. William G. Boykin and Worcester County State's Attorney Beau Oglesby bow their heads. / THOMAS MELVILLE/THE DAILY TIMES

OCEAN CITY -- Lt. Gen. William G. "Jerry" Boykin spoke to an audience gathered for breakfast about his belief that God will forgive anyone for anything, and that a relationship with Jesus Christ is more important than following the rules of an organized religion.

The retired Army general supplemented his thesis with stories of his time in combat when he says his faith was rewarded, and other times when it was tested and restored. In one case, Boykin believes the Holy Spirit spoke to him in a time of doubt, telling him that "If there is no God, there is no hope."


Boykin avoided discussing another religious belief during his speech at the Mayor's Prayer Breakfast: Islam. The retired general has been outspoken on that topic at times, arguing that mosques have no place in America and describing Islam as a "totalitarian way of life." His invitation to Ocean City aroused dismay from People for the American Way and the Council on American-Islamic Relations, and those groups urged Mayor Rick Meehan and Ocean City Town Council members to rescind Boykin's invitation, or not attend his talk. The annual event name-checks the Mayor's Office but is organized and funded privately, not by the town.


In the end, the mayor and one of the seven councilmembers, Doug Cymek, attended; and Boykin didn't stray from the path of discussing Christianity. He shared stories of his reliance on prayer during dangerous missions he embarked on during his lengthy career with the Army's Delta Force, including one occasion during the infamous "Black Hawk Down" mission he commanded in Somalia when he prayed for God to save the life of a man who had his renal artery severed during a mortar blast. Lying next to Boykin in a hospital, the man told him to tell his wife he loved her, then closed his eyes, unconscious. Hospital staff rushed in with anti-shock trousers, and the man was revived.




"You can say, 'Boy, you're a nut,' and I probably am, but as far as I'm concerned, I saw a dead man rise from the dead," Boykin said to applause from the about 400 people who attended the breakfast at the Clarion Hotel. Norman Briddell of Berlin leapt from his seat, shouting "Hallelujah."

During the earlier stages of "Black Hawk Down," when Boykin saw some of his troops die in combat, he said he began thinking God did not exist -- that he had been living a lie believing in a higher power. It was during this time he claims the Holy Spirit spoke to him. He repented, he said, and was immediately forgiven by God.

"That's the only real message I have today," he said. "There is nothing you've ever done that God won't forgive you for, and you might say, 'Well, you don't know what I've done,' but you, you don't know what I've done."




Meehan said he felt Boykin's speech had matched the tradition and spirit of the event, resonated with the audience and conveyed a positive message.



The perception that Boykin brought with him a tint of religious intolerance is "certainly not" accurate, according to Meehan. That was an argument made in an editorial by The Sun in Baltimore, "'Islamophobic' Ocean City?," saying if elected leaders attended it would "reflect badly on them and the resort town they lead."




"Perception can be very tough to deal with, but Ocean City is open to all faiths and beliefs, and we absolutely embrace everybody," said Meehan. "We want to make sure that message is very clear."



Meehan added that anyone who attended the breakfast could vouch that Boykin's speech as inoffensive. Briddell said it was "excellent," and that it served as a good reminder there is "always hope, no matter what."



Peter Montgomery, a People for the American Way senior fellow, attended the event, and agreed Boykin had stayed away from the vein of inflammatory comments he's made in past speeches. But given Boykin's past statements, Montgomery said, it was still disappointing the event's organizers invited him to speak.



"I don't doubt that the mayor and council didn't know about (Boykin's) past," he said. But after they learned about his views on Islam, he said, it became a question of holding public officials accountable.
Boykin's appearance among town officials gives the impression they were giving credibility to his comments, Montgomery said.

 

OC prayer breakfast speaker's views about Islam draw scrutiny

OCEAN CITY -- The Ocean City Mayor's Prayer Breakfast will go ahead as planned despite scrutiny from organizations whose members oppose the views its keynote speaker, retired Lt. Gen. William G. "Jerry" Boykin, holds about Islam.

People for the American Way and the Council on American-Islamic Relations have sent emails to Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan asking him to disinvite Boykin from speaking at Thursday morning's breakfast at the Clarion Hotel.

Boykin has been publicly outspoken about his views on Islam, especially since his retirement from military service. He has said there should be no mosques built in America, that Islam is a "totalitarian way of life" and that the creed should not be protected under the Constitution's First Amendment, according to videos of his talks archived on rightwingwatch.org.

The event carries the mayor's name but is not funded or endorsed by the city. It was founded in 1990 by Bruce Spangler, a former Ocean City police lieutenant who organizes the event each year and is in charge of selecting speakers, a process Meehan does not take part in. Meehan is an invited guest, and his role is to welcome attendees and introduce other elected officials and dignitaries who are in attendance, the mayor said.

Town Councilwoman Mary Knight said she first heard of Boykin's views in early December, and that she had been assured he would speak appropriately at the breakfast. She said in the past couple days she has received more than 300 emails from people about the event, most of which are forwarded versions of the emails circulated about it by the two protesting organizations. Councilman Brent Ashley said his inbox had more than 170 messages. Knight said she is not sure whether she will attend and hadn't yet bought a ticket. Ashley said he has a prior engagement and will not attend the breakfast.

Meehan and Spangler said they don't expect Boykin to say anything radical, just to tell a story of the role God has played in his life.

"I've always found it to be an uplifting event, and I don't think it should be any different this year," Meehan said. "I wasn't familiar with Gen. Boykin, but he's a guest in our community for that event and I'm sure he's going to follow the same pattern that other speakers have, and be very respectful to all those who are in attendance."

Boykin was investigated by the Department of Defense while serving as the Pentagon's senior military intelligence official after concerns were raised about comments he made about the Islamic faith and the war on terror that were perceived by some as derogatory or inflammatory, according to a 2004 report.

In speeches, Boykin implied that then-President George W. Bush had been placed in the presidency by God and that the war on terror is a spiritual one against "a guy named Satan," according to the report.
Boykin was found to be in violation of three internal regulations but he kept his position until he retired in 2007.

Boykin has also spoken of operations in Iran, Somalia -- where he commanded the infamous "Black Hawk Down" mission -- and Grenada, and explained how his faith helped him to overcome difficulties he encountered during them. Spangler said he expects Boykin's speech at the breakfast to be more in the vein of this type of testimony.

"We're not here to try and start trouble or cause any dissension or anything like that. We're here to give an uplifting experience for people," Spangler said. "If you've got a good story to tell and the Lord worked in your life, I want to hear it."

By inviting Boykin to speak at the community event, Ocean City officials effectively endorsed Boykin's "hate-filled rhetoric," according to Michael Keegan, president of People for the American Way. Council on American-Islamic Relations spokesman Ibrahim Hooper said the organization questions the appropriateness of the choice for the event.

Both organizations believed Ocean City officials were in charge of the selection for the event's guest speakers, according to their statements.

'It's a huge deal for us'

Terry Isner, right, and his partner, Adam Linder, both of Rehoboth Beach, were joined in a civil ceremony at CAMP Rehoboth on Jan. 4. / SCOTT NATHAN/ DELAWARE COAST PRESS

REHOBOTH BEACH -- Terry Isner and his partner Adam Linder say they've been together in the eyes of family, friends and God for 14 years, since the day they performed a backyard wedding ceremony.

At noon last Wednesday, they added the state of Delaware to their list of witnesses when they had a small civil union ceremony at CAMP Rehoboth, little more than a day after they acquired a civil union license from the state and only a few days after legislation went into effect allowing same-sex civil unions.

The ceremony was a precursor to a larger celebration they'll have at the end of the month at the same location. The couple -- who were both clad in jeans, blazers and bow ties -- wanted to make their union official before taking off on a cruise this month.

Isner and Linder exchanged vows and rings, and then a kiss after Tom White, a retired Evangelical Lutheran Church in America minister, made their union official. Festivities were completed with a champagne toast in which guests drank from plastic cups, which Steve Elkins, executive director of CAMP Rehoboth, busted out from hiding shortly after the ceremony.

"It's a huge deal for us," said Linder. "We've lived in D.C., Virginia and now Delaware, and we're finally in a place where we can have our civil union recognized legally, so it's very, very exciting."
The civil union allows them the same rights and obligations of those who are married in Delaware.

Isner and Linder are now allowed to make hospital visits, inherit property, jointly adopt children and live together in nursing homes, among hundreds of other rights and responsibilities that have been afforded to opposite gender spouses for decades.

The union does not, however, recognize them as technically married, and they do not have the more than 1,000 marriage-related rights and responsibilities established on the federal level.

"We've had 14 years to grow and live together, and we've always had the support of our family and friends, but to now be able to legally take care of each other in sickness and in health feels great," Isner said. "What we do in our bedroom is our business, and we should have every right others do. We weren't expecting this when we moved here, but we're so glad the state has given us this opportunity."

Milton Councilwoman Mary Hudson and her partner, Lynn Ekelund, had their ceremony on Wednesday as well, at the Sussex County Clerk of the Peace in Georgetown. It is significant legally, she said, because her partner can now share the benefits Hudson garners as a retired state employee who worked for Delaware for 33 years.

"It's a wonderful, emotional event for us," Hudson said shortly before the ceremony.

On Jan. 1, Delaware became the eighth state to allow civil unions or domestic partnerships for same-sex couples. Five other states and the District of Columbia allow gay marriage.

Now that Delaware has legalized same-sex civil unions, Salisbury Mayor Jim Ireton believes it may make it easier for Maryland to do the same.

In July 2011, Gov. Martin O'Malley and Lt. Gov. Anthony G. Brown announced they would sponsor same-sex marriage legislation during this year's sessions.

"I think now that our neighbor has done it, and that our government is around it, it makes it easier for
Maryland to do it," Ireton said.

The civil union legalization is a big step forward, and Jan. 1 was a very good day for Delaware, according to Douglas Marshall-Steele, creator of TowardEquality.org, an LGBT civil rights website he operates from his Milton home.

"But we're not there yet," he said. Marshall-Steele said the Defense of Marriage Act, a federal law enacted in 1996 that defines marriage as a legal union between a man and woman, would have to be overturned. There is legislation in Congress that would do that, so it is now basically a matter of lobbying for elected representatives to vote to overturn it, he said.

There have been a number of recent national polls that have found a majority of Americans are now in favor of same-sex marriage.

"It shouldn't be that civil rights are left up to a majority opinion, but as it happens most Americans are in favor of same-gender marriage on the federal level," Marshall-Steele said. "Now it's just a matter of our elected representatives catching up with what most other Americans already believe."