Trayquan Marqueze Lee
Prince Frederick, MD – A Calvert County man who pleaded guilty in June to two counts of electronic mail harassment was sentenced Aug. 11 in Calvert County Circuit Court. The state’s charges against the defendant, Trayquan Marqueze Lee, 22 of Lusby, stem from a series of text messages sent to a young male. According to court documents, Calvert County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to the home of the recipient of the text messages Nov. 8. “The victim advised us that a male known as ‘Trayquan Marshall’ extorted him to send naked photos via cellular telephone,” Detective Mike Mudd stated in court documents. Mudd added that the male victim was advised by the sender that if he did not send the images “naked rumors of a sexual relationship” between them would spread on social media. Court documents indicate the victim did comply but the harassment by text did not stop. After the victim told his mother about the harassment, police got involved in the case. Investigators were able to determine the defendant’s real identity using Facebook and Maryland Department of Motor Vehicles records.
Prior to sentencing, Lee underwent a psychological evaluation. Judge Mark Chandlee noted that he had received letters about the “emotional injury” of Lee’s actions from the victim and the victim’s mother. While she was in the courtroom, the victim’s mother did not address the court but did discuss the matter with Chandlee during a sidebar conference.
Calvert County Deputy State’s Attorney Kathryn Marsh told the court that Lee’s evaluation revealed an “inability to pick up on social norms and mores,” and those problems “need to be addressed” through counseling and motoring of Lee’s social media activities. Marsh stated the victim “was crying out” on the text messages to be left alone. She added that, “the harm to the victim warranted more jail time.”
Michael D. Beach, the public defender representing Lee stated it would be more beneficial if sanctions rather than jail time were imposed. The attorney added his client was “grappling with a lot of issues” and had already been incarcerated for several days. He described Lee as “soft-spoken and scared. This is not a hardened criminal.”
In reading the transcript of the text messages Lee sent to the victim, Chandlee observed, “at some point a mutual conversation ended, then it became bullying. That’s what put us in the situation we’re in. It really comes down to bullying.” For each count, Chandlee imposed a one-year sentence—suspending all but 120 days—and ordered five years of supervised probation. Chandlee told the defendant he must remain in contact with his probation agent, show proof of employment and/or school attendance, abstain from drugs and submit to random testing and get counseling. The probation agent will be monitoring social media activities. The judge stated Lee’s probation status will be re-evaluated after the first two years of supervised probation. The defendant is to have no contact with the victim.
PREVIOUS STORY from Nov. 23, 2016
Prince Frederick, MD – A grand jury indicted a Calvert County man Nov. 21 on four counts related to the solicitation of a minor for pornography. The accused was identified in court records by the legal name of Trayquan Marqueze Lee, 21 of Lusby.
According to Maryland Court Documents, deputies responded to a Lusby residence Nov. 8. to speak with a victim of suspected extortion.
“The victim advised us that a male known as ‘Trayquan Marshall’ extorted him to send naked photos via cellular telephone” Detective Matt Mudd of the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office stated.
The male victim was informed by ‘Marshall’ that if he did not send a picture of himself, “naked rumors of a sexual relationship” between them would be spread on social media.
Court documents indicate the victim did in fact subsequently comply with this demand, and sent the accused as many as four pictures of himself “nude and in a sex act.”
According to the victim, the harassment did not stop after the pictures were forwarded to the accused. The victim subsequently told his mother about the accuser, the demands for sex and at that point police became involved.
Investigators soon discovered Trayquan Marshall’s real identity using Facebook and Maryland Department of Motor Vehicles records. Investigators “learned by speaking to other law enforcement officers that Trayquan is transient and moves to various homes in Calvert and St. Mary’s.”
Charges were filed against Trayquan Marqueze Lee Friday, Nov. 11. Ten days later he was indicted on one count each of solicitation of child pornography and sexual solicitation of a minor, both felonies; and two counts of electronic mail harassment.
The charges carry a combined penalty of 22 years in jail and $51,000 in fines.
Lee’s first circuit court appearance is tentatively scheduled for Monday, Nov. 28.
Contact Marty Madden at marty.madden@thebaynet.com