Crime & Safety
Charges Dropped Against Couple in Tree Cutting Case
The Maryland Attorney General's Office dropped more than 120 charges against the Severna Park couple.
The Maryland Attorney General’s Office dropped the charges against a Severna Park couple who were charged with cutting down trees so they could have a better view of the Severn River from their home.
The Capital Gazette reported that more than 120 charges against Nilos and Kelly Sakellariou were dropped. The couple had ordered a tree-cutting service to cut down trees around their home on Bellehahn Court home in 2010.
The trees were cut by the owner of Paddy Stump Grinding, Dennis Russell Paddy Sr., of Edgewater. In April, Paddy was convicted on three counts of violating environmental regulations for cutting down trees at the Severna Park home. Paddy was sentenced to perform 80 hours of community service along with 12 months probation.
The Sakellarious each faced 63 misdemeanors. The Capital Gazette reported that the decision to drop the charges was "trial related." Alan Brody, spokesman for the Attorney General’s Office, did not expand on the reasons.
For more, see The Capital Gazette's article.
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