LEONARDTOWN, MD (September 24, 2026) – The St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the whereabouts of Melissa Irene Richards, 34, of Mechanicsville, for escape.
On September 9, 2026, Deputies responded to the 28000 block of Point Lookout Road in Leonardtown for a tampering alarm on a GPS monitoring device assigned to Richards. Upon arrival, deputies located the monitoring device, which was cut and discarded within the tree line of Point Lookout Road.
The suspect was on pre-trial release stemming from criminal charges of CDS: Possess-Not Cannabis, Theft Less Than $100.00 and Theft: $100 To Under $1,500.
Richards is a white female, 5’2”, 107 pounds, with blue eyes and blonde hair.
Anyone with information about Richards’ whereabouts is asked to contact Detective Joseph Bowling at Joseph.Bowling@stmaryscounty md.gov, or at 301-475-4200, ext. 1959.
Tipsters can also submit tips anonymously to the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office through tip411:
- Text 847411: start your message with “SMCSO”, add a space, and then your tip.
- Online: Submit a tip through the Sheriff’s Office website at www.FirstSheriff.com/tips.
- App: Send a tip directly through the SMCSO app. Download the free app from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store.
- Phone: For those who prefer to make a phone call, tips can also be shared through the Crime Solvers line at 301-475-3333.
With Crime Solvers, you never have to give your name. You may be eligible for a cash reward if your information leads to an arrest.
