January 8, 2013: Nicholas Plazio, Formerly a Major in the Carroll County Sheriff’s Dept, Pleads Guilty

For Immediate Release                                                                     January 8, 2013

NICHOLAS PLAZIO,  FORMERLY A  MAJOR IN THE CARROLL COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT,  PLEADS GUILTY TO MISCONDUCT IN OFFICE

            State Prosecutor Emmet C. Davitt has announced that Nicholas Plazio has entered a plea of guilty in the Circuit Court for Carroll County to one count of misconduct in office in connection with his conduct in the investigation of the September, 2010 murder of Jeremiah Demario, and the subsequent unsuccessful attempt to prosecute of two persons in connection with that murder.  Former Major Plazio is charged with providing false information to the Office of the State’s Attorney and to the Court between October 31, 2011 and February 29, 2012 regarding his role in the investigation into the murder of Mr. Demario. 

            Pursuant to a plea agreement, the Honorable Michael Galloway, Judge of the Circuit Court for Carroll County, imposed a sentence of one year incarceration, which he suspended in favor of three years supervised probation, a fine of $5,000.00, and 500 hours of community service.  As a condition of his plea agreement, Mr. Plazio may not seek, hold or be employed in any capacity by any law enforcement agency while he is on probation.  Copies of the charging document, the plea agreement, and the statement of facts submitted to the court are available at www.ospmd.org.

State Prosecutor Emmet C. Davitt said “Every law enforcement officer has a pre-eminent duty of honesty in the investigation and prosecution of criminal offenses. When an officer violates that duty, he brings dishonor, contempt and disrepute to the entire criminal justice system.  It is my hope that prosecutions such as this one will, to the extent possible, help to restore some faith in the integrity of our law enforcement community.”