Published: May 16, 2008 11:26 pm      

Defendant at large after leaving court hearing

City suspect considered armed and dangerous based on record

CUMBERLAND - A Cumberland man remained at large Friday after failing to return to court after lunch Thursday.

According to Allegany County Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Mark L. Alexander, the defendant, Simeon Leonard Younger, 33, is considered armed and dangerous because of “his prior record and prior gang affiliations.”

Younger was charged with robbery, assault and theft in connection with an incident that occurred Nov. 17 on Iron’s Mountain. Jury selection for his trial in Allegany County Circuit Court began Thursday morning and extended past the lunch hour.

After the court was recessed for lunch, Younger failed to return.

Despite his absence, Alexander continued to prosecute the case, and the jury needed only 30 minutes of deliberation Friday to conclude from the testimony of the victim and several police officers that Younger, along with two other men, assaulted Christopher Brazier of Lanham after luring him to Iron’s Mountain.

Brazier testified that after one of the men attacked him, and while he was wrestling with that man, Younger jumped on his back and punched him. Brazier also testified that his pants were taken from him and later returned, but his Maryland driver’s license, cell phone, shoes and $15 were taken by the men.

Brazier said he did not know where he was and began to walk along the road until he was picked up by a passerby and given a ride to a business on Oldtown Road, where he immediately reported the robbery to the Cumberland police department.

Officers testified that they recognized one of the individuals as Younger from the description the victim related to them.

Cpl. Korey Rounds of the Cumberland police department testified that he located Younger’s vehicle in a city parking lot and, while photographing the vehicle, he observed Younger on Pershing Street.

Rounds caught Younger after a brief foot chase and Younger was arrested after the victim was brought to the scene and positively identified him.

While processing Younger at the police station, Officer Scott Saeler discovered the victim’s license in Younger’s pants pocket.

Younger was turned over to Detective Roger Plummer of C3I. At that time, he gave Plummer a statement admitting to taking the victim to Iron’s Mountain to scare him. He also told the detective he acted alone.

Younger was represented by attorney David J. Hare.

Anyone who might have any information as to the whereabouts of Younger is asked to call the Cumberland Police Department at (301) 777-1600.