LA PLATA, Md. — A Charles County jury says they've convicted a 28-year-old Brandywine man after a violent 2019 home invasion and kidnapping of a woman in Waldorf.
Marc Christopher Brown is convicted of a slew of charges, including home invasion, first and second-degree burglary, kidnapping and robbery after police said he assaulted and later kidnapped Uchenna Okezie at her Waldorf residence on Dec. 12, 2019.
According to the Charles County Sheriff's Office, officers were called to the area of Gardner Road near Accokeek Road around 3:37 a.m. on Dec. 12, 2019, for a report of a woman – later identified as Okezie – on the roadway, walking barefoot with her hands tied together.
At the scene, Okezie told officers that she was abducted from her residence in Waldorf the day before at 7:30 p.m. by a man – who was later identified as Brown – that was inside her home. Police said she told them that Brown forced her into her 2010 black four-door Toyota Camry and he drove her to several ATMs to retrieve money from her account(s).
According to officers, Brown drove around for some time before returning back to Okezie's residence. Brown re-secured the ligatures around her feet and hands inside of the residence.
Police said Brown also covered her head with a coat and forced her to sit on a stair while he proceeded to rummage through items in the house.
Brown then left the Okezie on the side of the road on Gardiner Road and fled the area, police said. Moments later, it was reported that Brown backed her car into the front doors of the Waldorf AMF bowling alley on Acton Lane.
Police said Brown got out of the car and approached the ATM inside of the bowling alley. Brown, according to police, left the scene Okezie's Toyota Camry once he realized that the machine wasn't working.
Detectives worked closely with Okezie after the incident.
"Through their extensive investigation, detectives were able to identify the suspect and link him to the kidnapping as well as the burglary of the Waldorf AMF bowling alley," police said in a Dec. 14, 2019 interview with WUSA9.
Brown was apprehended on Dec. 12, 2019. When officers apprehended Brown, they discovered glass in his bookbag that matched the glass from AMF Waldorf Lanes and $100, police said. Brown was also wearing shoes that matched the pattern found on a shoeprint at the victim’s residence. Okezie's vehicle was later located near Brown’s father’s residence.
A sentencing date has been set for August 26, 2021, according to the Charles County Sheriff's Office.
Brown faces a potential of over 107 years in prison.