UNLICENSED WELL DRILLER TO SERVE 90 DAY SENTENCE FOR VIOLATING PROBATION

Attorney General J. Joseph Curran, Jr. announced today that John E. Branham, 72, of the 3100 block of Mills Pond Road in Port Republic, Maryland, had his probation revoked and was ordered to serve a 90-day sentence for violating the terms of his probation. The Defendant was on three-years probation since his July 1, 2003 conviction in the District Court for Charles County for practicing well drilling without a license.

On Wednesday the Honorable Richard A. Cooper reinstated the Defendant’s 90-day suspended sentence after he found that Defendant violated the terms of his probation by continuing to practice well drilling without a license. The defendant is currently serving a 90-day sentence in Anne Arundel County for an August 5, 2005 conviction of the same offense. Branham has been convicted of practicing well drilling without a license four times since 2003.

This case was prosecuted by the Environment Crimes Unit of the Attorney General’s Office, with the assistance of the Maryland Department of the Environment and the Maryland State Police.

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