Three young men are accused of trying to break into a home in Charles County, including an 18-year-old who ran for Congress. News4’s Pat Collins reports.
Three young men in Maryland -- including an 18-year-old who ran for Congress -- are facing attempted burglary charges after Charles County police say they tried to break into a home.
Steven Michael Coltman, 18; Japheth Michael Newman, 18; and Clayton Perry, 19, are accused of planning a home invasion early Friday morning in White Plains.
Newman was running as a Democrat to represent the 5th Congressional District of Maryland, which represents Calvert, Charles and St. Mary's counties.
A homeowner on the 8600 block of Billingsley Road reported a possible burglary in progress about 3:10 a.m. Friday, Oct. 9. The man's family was asleep when he heard loud noises near a doorway and their dog barking, he told the Charles County Sheriff's Office.
The resident grabbed a gun, raced to the door and saw a man running into the woods, he told police.
When officers arrived, they found damage to the front door and a window. Outside, they found a black duffel bag with a baseball bat, crowbar, gloves, rope and duct tape inside.
Minutes later, officers found Perry walking barefoot on Billingsley Road with a knife. Coltman and Newman were later identified as suspects as well.
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"There's no doubt they were there to commit a home invasion," police spokeswoman Diane Richardson said.
Investigators believe the men knew the family was home during the attempted break-in. It appears they did not know the family, police said.
Newman had suspended his Congressional campaign on Oct. 2, according to his Facebook page. The alleged crime occurred seven days later. His campaign website includes a section called "My Values." The list includes: "integrity matters," "honesty is a given" and "justice should prevail."
All three men have been charged with attempted home invasion and attempted burglary.
