Update 10/1/2021: This story has been updated to reflect charges being dropped following court proceedings since the original story was published.
In response to a growing number of complaints from citizens, local businesses and visitors to the area concerning the solicitation of prostitution, Cumberland Police Department with the assistance of C3I and the Hagerstown Police Department’s Directed Patrol Unit conducted an eight-week investigation into prostitution and human trafficking. The investigation was concentrated in the Queen City Drive and Park Street areas. The following have been charged:
Lowell Loy, 84, of Springfield, WV, was charged with solicitation of prostitution
David Whitacre, 57, of Ridgeley, WV, was charged with solicitation of prostitution
Douglas Combs, 55, of Cumberland, MD, was charged with for solicitation of prostitution
Dylan Gaither, 26, of Berkley Springs, WV, was charged with solicitation of prostitution
Michael Dixon, 55, of Flintstone, MD, was charged with solicitation of prostitution
David Steinmetz, 72, of Cumberland, MD, was charged with solicitation of prostitution
Gregory Stump, 48, of Moorefield, WV, was charged with solicitation of prostitution, possession of a firearm, and possession of CDS, not marijuana
Daniel Kahler, 52, of McHenry, MD, was charged with solicitation of prostitution
Angela Berry, 35, of Cumberland, MD, was charged with prostitution and possession of CDS paraphernalia
Ashley Scardina, 33, of Oldtown, MD, was charged with prostitution
Kelly Sinclair, 35, of Cumberland, MD, was charged with prostitution
Natasha Groves, 34, of Cumberland, MD, was charged with prostitution and human trafficking
This is a continuing investigation and additional arrests are anticipated.
On 6/21/18, the Cumberland Police Department conducted an investigation into prostitution throughout the Park Street and Baltimore Avenue areas of Cumberland. During the investigation a suspect was developed concerning the possible human trafficking of women against their will. The Cumberland Police Department, The Cumberland Emergency Response Team, C3I and Allegany County Combined Narcotics Unit conducted several search warrants at 4 Altamont Terrace resulting the arrest of Floyd Eugene Ferguson.
Floyd Eugene Ferguson, 45 of Cumberland, MD was charged with Prostitution, Human Trafficking -Force, 5 counts of Human Trafficking.
Ferguson was being held at the Cumberland Police Department pending his initial Bond hearing.