Sniffed Out: Sunderland Man Facing Drug Charge After K-9 Alert

SUNDERLAND, Md. — A Sunderland man is facing a drug charge after deputies conducted a traffic stop in the Sunderland area and located suspected cocaine on his person, according to court documents.

Tarvio Lavey Jenkins, 45, of Sunderland, is charged with CDS: Possess — Not Cannabis, a misdemeanor offense stemming from a Feb. 27, 2026 incident in Calvert County.

According to the statement of probable cause, a Calvert County sheriff’s deputy was on routine patrol in the Sunderland area at approximately 12:11 p.m. when a white 2007 Chevrolet Express van bearing Virginia registration was observed traveling southbound on North Solomons Island Road. A registration check revealed the vehicle was registered to a District Heights man. The deputy conducted a traffic stop near North Solomons Island Road and Aspen Woods.

During the stop, deputies requested a K-9 scan of the vehicle. K-9 Benji conducted a sniff of the exterior and alerted to the odor of narcotics emanating from within the vehicle.

After the alert, occupants were asked to exit the vehicle. Jenkins, who was identified as the front-seat passenger, admitted he had cocaine in his pants. A search of Jenkins revealed a small clear plastic bag concealed behind his belt buckle. Inside was a folded paper packet containing a white powdery substance suspected to be cocaine, identified in charging documents as a Schedule II controlled dangerous substance.

The suspected narcotics were submitted to the Maryland State Lab for analysis and entered into the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office property system. Authorities noted the encounter was recorded on a department-issued Axon body-worn camera.

Jenkins was arrested and transported to the Calvert County Detention Center before being released on his own recognizance later that day.

A hearing is set for April 15, 2026, in Calvert District Court.

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