Montgomery County Police - Major Crimes Division

03/24/2022

03/23/2022

A Montgomery County Dentist has been arrested and faces multiple felony charges after being arrested at his dental practice.

Dr. James Ryan, an oral surgeon with a practice on Observation Drive in Germantown, was arrested the morning of Tuesday, March 22 and charged with second-degree murder in connection with the death of 25-year-old Sarah Harris.

Harris, a former patient of 48-year-old Ryan, began working in Ryan’s practice as a surgical technician in October of 2020. They began a romantic relationship around January of 2021, while she worked at Ryan’s practice. The two lived together in Ryan’s Clarksburg home. The relationship between the two continued until her fatal overdose on January 26, 2022. Ryan had been providing controlled substances, including Propofol, Ketamine, Diasepam, and midazolam, to Harris.

On January 26, Montgomery County Police 5th District officers responded to the 13900 block of Godwit Street in Clarksburg, for an overdose. Montgomery County Fire Rescue responded and attempted life-saving measures, but Sarah Harris was pronounced dead on the scene.

Montgomery county police arrested Dr. Ryan following an extensive investigation and he is being held in the Montgomery County Central Processing Unit.

This is an active and ongoing investigation.

This investigation was a coordinated effort of the Montgomery County Police under the Maryland Criminal Intelligence Network (MCIN). Governor Larry Hogan launched MCIN in 2017 and provides grant funding and strategic support through his office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services to MCIN member sites to identify, disrupt, and dismantle criminal organizations through inter-agency collaboration and data sharing to make Maryland safer.

The Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services funded this project under subaward number, MCIN-2022-0018.
https://www2.montgomerycountymd.gov/mcgportalapps/Press_Detail_Pol.aspx?Item_ID=40258

01/30/2022

Detectives from the Montgomery County Police – Major Crimes Division, homicide section have arrested and charged a Frederick man for a December 23, 2021 homicide.

31-year-old Mario Samm is currently being held without bond for shooting and killing 25-year-old Jahandar Rahman Darvish inside Darvish’s Germantown residence.

On December 23, Fifth District officers responded to the 19300 block of Circle Gate Drive in Germantown for a call of multiple shots fired. After gaining entry, officers located Darvish dead inside his apartment from apparent gunshot wounds.

Samm has been charged with First Degree Murder and Use of a Firearm During the Commission of a Violent Crime. He is currently being held at the Frederick County Detention Center.



https://www2.montgomerycountymd.gov/mcgportalapps/Press_Detail_Pol.aspx?Item_ID=39948

01/26/2022

Detectives from the Montgomery County Police – Major Crimes Division are currently investigating a homicide after a body was located outdoors in the 18900 block of Grotto Lane in Germantown.

On Monday, January 24, at approximately 3 p.m., the Emergency Communications Center received a call for the found body of a male subject. Officers from the 5th District responded and located an unidentified Black male, possibly in his late teens. The victim was pronounced deceased on scene.

The victim was identified as a 17-year-old male from Germantown.

This is an active and ongoing homicide investigation.

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) in Baltimore will conduct an autopsy to determine the manner and cause of death.

Anyone with information regarding this crime is asked to call the Major Crimes Division at 240-773-5070 or 240-773-TIPS, or contact Crime Solvers of Montgomery County toll-free at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477). A reward of up to $10,000 is being offered for information that leads to the arrest of the homicide suspect(s). Callers can remain anonymous.

01/17/2022

Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police – Major Crimes Division have arrested and charged 31-year-old Steven Beitzel, of Germantown, with the December 2021 and January 2022 bank robberies that occurred in Poolesville, Darnestown and Germantown.

On December 14, 2021, at approximately 12:19 p.m., Beitzel entered the BB&T Bank in the19600 block of Fisher Ave. in Poolesville and stole an undisclosed amount of money from the bank. Beitzel then fled the scene on foot.

On January 5, 2022, at approximately 11:42 a.m., Beitzel robbed the SunTrust Bank in the 14100 block of Darnestown Rd. and fled the scene on a dirt bike.

Less than a week later, on January 11, Beitzel attempted to rob the same BB&T Bank in Poolesville that he robbed on December 14., but his attempt was unsuccessful because the bank employees locked the front doors before he accessed the lobby area of the bank. Beitzel then fled the scene. Shortly after, Beitzel attempted to rob the Capital One Bank in the 21100 block of Frederick Rd. in Germantown. Beitzel entered the bank, observed the reinforced glass partition at the teller counter, walked out of the bank and fled on a dirt bike.

On January 11, at approximately 1:55 p.m., Beitzel robbed the M&T Bank in the 21000 block of Frederick Rd. in Germantown and fled the scene on a dirt bike.

Detectives reviewed the surveillance footage of the banks and obtained surveillance photographs and footage of Beitzel. These photographs and footage were sent to media outlets and police officers across Montgomery County in an effort to apprehend Beitzel.

On January 12, officers from Rockville City Police Department observed an individual, later identified as Steven Beitzel, matching the physical description of the bank robbery suspect in the area of Research Ct. in Rockville. The officers followed and observed Beitzel operating a dirt bike on Shady Grove Rd. without wearing a helmet. Beitzel was pulled over. Beitzel then attempted to flee the scene in an effort to avoid apprehension, but officers were able to place him under arrest.

A search of Beitzel led officers to discover evidence connecting him to the bank robberies. Officers also recovered items of evidence from Beitzel’s vehicle, a dark Green GMC Yukon.

Beitzel was transported to the Central Processing Unit, where he is being held without bond.



https://www2.montgomerycountymd.gov/mcgportalapps/Press_Detail_Pol.aspx?Item_ID=39850

01/15/2022

A 59-year-old woman is dead after being intentionally struck by a vehicle in a Silver Spring bank parking lot.

On Friday, Jan. 14, 2022, at approximately noon, Alka Himanshu Tanna of Silver Spring, exited the Capital One bank on the 13000 block of New Hampshire Ave. As she attempted to cross the parking lot, a white Lexus SUV, driven by her husband, 59-year-old Himanshu Maganlal Tanna of Silver Spring, accelerated and struck his wife several times with his vehicle.

The suspect then collided with a lamp post, disabling the SUV. When Montgomery County Police officers arrived, suspect Tanna was taken into custody without incident. Major Crimes Detectives responded to the location and transported suspect Tanna to police headquarters, where he provided a statement to detectives.

Himanshu Maganlal Tanna has been charged with First Degree Murder and has been transported to the Central Processing Unit, where he is being held without bond.

This is an active and ongoing investigation.



https://www2.montgomerycountymd.gov/mcgportalapps/Press_Detail_Pol.aspx?Item_ID=39845

01/14/2022

Update: Montgomery County Police have been able to locate the family of Comfort Nyarko. Thank you for sharing, with your help we were able to locate the family.
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Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police – Major Crimes Division are asking for the public’s help in locating the family a Gaithersburg woman.

60-year-old Comfort Nyarko was found deceased in her home on November 29, 2021. She lived in the 7000 block of Laytonia Drive in Gaithersburg. Detectives have not been able to locate next of kin for Nyarko.

Anyone with information on family members or friends of Nyarko, who may be able to lead detectives to a surviving relative, is asked to call the Major Crimes Division at 240-773-5070

Detectives do not suspect foul play in the death of Nyarko.



https://www2.montgomerycountymd.gov/mcgportalapps/Press_Detail_Pol.aspx?Item_ID=39839