Gym Bag Grab: Two D.C. Men Arrested In Calvert County Theft Scheme

PRINCE FREDERICK, Md. — Two Washington, D.C., men were arrested following a Calvert County investigation into a theft and credit card fraud scheme that began with vehicle break-ins at a fitness center and led to the recovery of stolen purses, fraudulent payment attempts and narcotics.

Curt Julian Johnson, 30, and Morton Kendo Perry, 43, both of Washington, D.C., face multiple misdemeanor charges stemming from incidents reported Jan. 12, 2026, according to the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office.

The investigation began after deputies received information from the Criminal Investigations Bureau regarding a black Mercedes C-Class believed to be connected to multiple theft cases under investigation by Anne Arundel County police. The vehicle had been reported in several locations, including Owings and shopping centers in Dunkirk.

Later that morning, deputies were dispatched to Results Fitness on Chaneyville Road in Owings for a report of a suspicious person. Officers located a white Volkswagen with a broken passenger-side window and contacted the vehicle’s owner, who reported her purse had been stolen while she was inside the gym. The victim later received bank alerts for declined debit card transactions, including an attempted $200 charge.

Deputies subsequently located the suspect Mercedes parked along Southern Maryland Boulevard in Lothian. When officers approached the vehicle, they observed two occupants and issued commands for them to show their hands. Police said one of the men repeatedly concealed his hands, prompting officers to draw their service weapons while giving verbal commands.

Perry, who was in the driver’s seat, and Johnson, who was seated in the passenger seat, were both taken into custody. During a search of the vehicle, deputies recovered a torn temporary registration tag that did not belong to the Mercedes and two purses from the rear floorboard. One purse was identified as belonging to the Results Fitness victim, while the second was linked to a separate vehicle break-in reported earlier that day in Anne Arundel County.

Investigators also reported locating suspected controlled dangerous substances during the search. Both men were advised of their rights and declined to provide statements, police said.

Anne Arundel County Police later responded to take custody of the vehicle and recovered property connected to their ongoing investigation.

Johnson faces charges including theft scheme involving $100 to under $1,500, theft between $100 and $1,500, rogue and vagabond, stealing another person’s credit card, identity fraud and malicious destruction of property under $1,000.

Perry faces similar charges, along with an additional count of possession of a controlled dangerous substance not including cannabis.

Court records show both men were initially held without bond. Perry was later released after posting a $50,000 bond, while Johnson remains scheduled to appear for trial March 6, 2026, in Calvert District Court.

The investigation remains ongoing.

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