Carroll County State's Attorney's Office

06/18/2026

State’s Attorney’s Office for Carroll County
INTAKE ASSISTANT/PROSECUTION AIDE

Carroll County State’s Attorney’s Office is seeking applicants for a full-time intake assistant/prosecution aide position. Duties include but are not limited to retrieving and sorting incoming electronic and hard copy notifications for opening of new cases and updating existing cases. This position is responsible for primary phone and receptionist duties and will also back up other members of the Intake Team staff. Knowledge of Judicial Dialog System (Prosecutor Case Management Software) and MDEC preferred but not required.

Prior legal and/or office experience is preferred but not required. Satisfactory completion of background check and pre-screening drug test required. Beginning annual salary $36,400 plus health insurance and retirement benefits. Please send resume, cover letter and salary requirement to Jennifer Smith at [email protected]. Open until filled.

06/16/2026

At this year’s Maryland State’s Attorneys’ Conference in Ocean City, Maryland, Carroll County State’s Attorney Haven Shoemaker attended what will be his final Maryland State’s Attorneys’ Conference as an elected State’s Attorney.

During the conference, Haven was honored to receive the Distinguished Service Award, presented by Maryland State’s Attorneys’ Association President Ivan Bates. This prestigious recognition reflects Haven’s years of dedicated service, leadership, and commitment to the citizens of Carroll County and the State of Maryland.

Congratulations, Haven, on this well-deserved honor and thank you for your many years of service to our community.

06/15/2026

Today is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, a day dedicated to raising awareness about the abuse, neglect, and exploitation of older adults and the importance of protecting some of the most vulnerable members of our community.

Thank you to Special Counsel Allan Culver for his presentation at today’s event hosted by the Carroll County Bureau of Aging and Disabilities at the Mt. Airy Senior and Community Center.

Education and awareness are powerful tools in preventing elder abuse. By learning the warning signs and knowing how to respond, we can all play a role in ensuring that older adults are treated with the dignity, respect, and care they deserve.

Thank you to everyone who attended and helped bring attention to this important issue.

06/10/2026

Yesterday, the Carroll County State’s Attorney’s Office proudly participated in the 2026 Law Enforcement Torch Run. Walkers, runners, and bikers covered miles of roads throughout Carroll County while carrying the Flame of Hope, helping send Maryland’s Special Olympics athletes off to the Summer Games.

A huge thank you to our community partners, including McDaniel College, Mission BBQ, all Carroll County law enforcement agencies, and everyone who participated. This event is something our office looks forward to every year, and it is always inspiring to see our community come together in support of such an incredible cause.

We would also like to send a special good luck wish to Special Olympics athlete Jayden Peregoy as he represents our community at the Summer Games. We’ll be cheering you on every step of the way!

Finally, a big shout-out to the organizer of the Torch Run and the many events leading up to it—our very own Kelsey Pintzow. Thank you for your hard work, dedication, and leadership in making this event such a success year after year.
with all

Thank you also to Special Counsel Allan Culver for speaking with all participants in attendance and ensuring everyone was prepared for this important event—and, perhaps more importantly, for the Mission BBQ afterward.

Carroll County Sheriff's Office - Maryland
McDaniel College Department of Campus Safety

06/10/2026

PROSECUTION ASSISTANT III/PARALEGAL

Carroll County State’s Attorney’s Office is seeking applicants for two different full-time positions in the Circuit Court Support Staff Unit, which is responsible for providing paralegal and administrative support to Assistant State’s Attorneys. Job duties to include: compiling, managing, and organizing dockets, including requesting records/reports, preparing and filing certain types of motions, summoning witnesses, and running criminal history reports. Prior prosecution assistant/paralegal experience preferred. Paralegal degree or certificate required, or must be willing to obtain one within a reasonable time period after hiring. We offer a competitive benefits package. Salary is commensurate with experience.

Please send resume, cover letter, list of references, and salary requirement to Jennifer Smith, Executive Assistant at [email protected].

06/05/2026

PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
For more information please contact:

Office of the State’s Attorney for Carroll County
Phone: 410-386-2671
Fax: 410-876-9286

Westminster, Maryland – June 4, 2026

Man sentenced to Life Without the Possibility of Parole for First Degree Murder

Austin Potocki, 32 years old from Hanover, PA, was given two consecutive Life Sentences, one without the possibility of parole for a shooting that occurred in the Patapsco area of Carroll County on December 13, 20024.

After a two-week jury trial ending in the beginning of April 2026, a jury found that on December 13, 2024, the Defendant travelled to the Patapsco area of Finksburg and laid in wait for David Anderson, a business associate to whom he owed money, and attempted to kill him by firing several shots at him from a high powered rifle. While wounding Mr. Anderson, he killed the driver of the vehicle, Benjaman Billings. Mr. Potocki was immediately one of the suspects and police were quickly able to gather key pieces of evidence confirming he was the shooter. Key evidence included a “hitlist” found on Mr. Potocki’s phone, which had “David Anderson” listed at the top. Also found on the phone was a google map of the area where the shooting took place, measuring the distance between the intersection where the victims were struck and a spot on a nearby hill where forensic evidence showed the shots came from. This map was created on the defendant’s phone 11 days before the shooting that occurred in that very same area.

In explaining why he agreed with the State’s sentencing recommendation, Judge Richard R. Titus mentioned that the google map found on the Defendant’s phone was damning and could not be explained away, but also noted the overwhelming additional evidence that the State presented at trial, showed a long period of premeditation. In deciding that it was too great of a risk for Mr. Potocki to ever return to the community, he indicated that by all accounts, the Defendant was acting from “pure evil” and he did not recall a worse case in Carroll County, in the 10 years that he had been on the bench.

State’s Attorney Haven Shoemaker stated, “this was a particularly appalling premeditated murder and attempted murder which cried out for the maximum sentence that could be imposed under the law. I grateful for the sentence, and for the hard work of my prosecutors and law enforcement in bringing this guy to justice”.

Our Office continues to be grateful for the tireless and professional conduct of the Caroll County Sheriff’s Office, throughout the investigation and trial. Special thanks go to lead detective Ashley Owens and all the detectives in the Major Crimes Unit. The Office of the State’s Attorney for Carroll County was represented by Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Amy B. Ocampo and Deputy State’s Attorney Sandra L. Johnson.

05/29/2026

PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
For more information please contact:
Office of the State’s Attorney for Carroll County
Phone: 410-386-2671
Fax: 410-876-9286
Email: [email protected]

Man sentenced to 20 years.

Westminster, Maryland –May 29, 2026

On February 26, 2026, Jason Eugene Pickett, age 39, formerly of Iowa, was found guilty by a Jury of Theft Scheme Over $100,000, Theft over $100,000, 4 counts of Theft $25,000 to $100,000 and 2 counts of Theft $1,500 to $25,000 in Carroll County Circuit Court.
Today, Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Melissa Hockensmith told the Court of Pickett’s extensive criminal history, his gambling spree just before trial, and his choice to purchase a $26,000 Harley Davidson instead of using funds to pay the victim back in this case. Referring to Pickett as a “conman and a liar”, she asked the Court to protect the public from Pickett’s cons by imposing a sentence above the sentencing guidelines given Pickett’s extensive criminal history and the facts of this case.

Jason Pickett told the Court he was sorry for what happened and claimed that he wanted to be released from jail so that he could make payments to the victim. He was sentenced today by Senior Judge Barry Hughes to the maximum sentence of 20 years in the Division of Corrections. A judgment for $310,617.50 was entered on behalf of the victim, C & C Custom Lawncare, Inc of Mt. Airy. In sentencing Jason Pickett, Judge Hughes stated that Pickett’s record was of “someone who is morally bankrupt” and that he doesn’t believe that there is hope that Pickett could change who he is, stating that “this is who you are…a conman, and a conman cons.” Judge Hughes considered the safety of the public in imposing the 20-year sentence, stating that it should give a measure of protection for the business communities where he lives.

In January of 2022, Mr. Miller, owner of C&C, purchased a snowplow off Facebook from Mr. Pickett. Mr. Pickett thereafter represented himself to be a distributor for Snow Wolf Plows, and C&C placed an order with Mr. Pickett for numerous other plows, paying an additional $310,617.50 to Pickett and Arctic Snow and Ice Management, LLC in Virgina. The plows were never delivered, and investigation revealed the funds were not used to purchase the plows from the manufacturer, but instead were used to purchase a luxury vehicle, false teeth and other personal items for Pickett and his wife.

Carroll County State’s Attorney Haven Shoemaker commented on the sentencing, praising the work of his prosecution team and the Maryland State Police, stating “This isn’t your run-of-the-mill theft case. Here, we are dealing with significant sums of money stolen from a Carroll County business. We are grateful for the sentence that the Court imposed, and it should a stern message that conmen will not be countenanced in Carroll County.”

The case was prosecuted by Melissa Hockensmith, Sr. Assistant State’s Attorney, and Dillon Barth, Assistant State’s Attorney, and was investigated by the Maryland State Police. Ms. Hockensmith has been Chief of the Economic Crimes Unit for more than 25 years and indicated that this is the largest sentence she has seen imposed for a white-collar crime defendant in Carroll County.

05/26/2026

Today our Community Education Liaison, Tim Weber, was a special guest speaker at the Justice Systems to Careers Initiative for Juveniles (JSCI-J). Tim has built strong relationships with, Carroll County, Carroll County Public Schools, Carroll Community College, and McDaniel College.

This was an opportunity for young individuals who may be heading down the wrong road to hear that it is never too late to turn things around, become productive, and use what was once meant for bad to instead create something very positive for the community.

05/26/2026

Yesterday, Haven Shoemaker and Special Counsel Allan Culver made it around to both the Westminster Memorial Day Parade and the Taneytown Memorial Day Parade.

Connecting with the community, reaching out, and showing support and honor to our veterans this Memorial Day reminds us all what the day is truly about — remembering and honoring the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.

05/25/2026