LEXINGTON PARK, Md. — An official account of a plastic straw, a dollar bill, and an alleged identity switch has landed a 22-year-old Lexington Park man behind bars with multiple misdemeanor drug charges—and a grand jury indictment to match.
Court records indicate that Kavione Eugene Watts was approached by deputies on April 4, 2025, in connection with an open warrant. During the interaction, Watts reportedly provided law enforcement with his brother’s name, an attempt prosecutors say was intended to avoid prosecution.
Deputies Recognized Him Immediately
Officer Welch of the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office, already familiar with Watts from prior encounters, identified him on sight. A search incident to arrest turned up a plastic straw with suspected drug residue in Watts’ left hand and a folded one-dollar bill elsewhere on his person. That bill, according to police, contained a “blue powdery substance.” Based on his training, Welch concluded the substance to be fentanyl—a synthetic opioid significantly more potent than heroin.
Watts was charged at the scene with possession of a controlled dangerous substance (CDS) not cannabis, possession of CDS paraphernalia, and fraud—specifically for allegedly using someone else’s identity to avoid prosecution. All three charges are misdemeanors.
Legal Adversity Persists
Grand jury proceedings revealed a broader pattern of alleged narcotics activity. An indictment handed down in March 2025 charges Watts with conspiracy to distribute both fentanyl and counterfeit oxycodone. According to prosecutors, the alleged offenses date back to May 18, 2024, and involve another individual identified in court records as Jerzie Berry.
The indictment outlines three total counts: two for conspiracy to distribute CDS—each carrying potential 20-year sentences and $15,000 fines—and one count of possession of fentanyl, which carries a maximum sentence of one year and a $5,000 fine.
At a bail review before Judge Karen Christy Holt Chesser, Watts was remanded without bond. He remains incarcerated pending trial, with his next court appearance scheduled in May.
Court records show Watts is represented by the St. Mary’s County Public Defender’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Lisa M. Ridge. The indictment was signed by grand jury foreman Cheryl D. Diimperio and Secretary Heidi K. Rodgers.
The BayNet will continue to follow developments in the case as it proceeds through the Circuit Court for St. Mary’s County.
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