Kristen Naill of Taneytown plead guilty to one count of First Degree Assault and one count of Possession With Intent to Distribute Cocaine on September 27, 2023, in two separate cases. In the first case, Nail received a sentence of fifteen years, with all but five years suspended, for assaulting Ted Rill of Taneytown with a firearm during an incident that occurred on February 10, 2023.  Two people were shot during that incident. In the second case for possession of crack cocaine with the intent to distribute it on January 4, 2023, Naill received a sentence of fifteen years, fully suspended, to run currently with her sentence for assaulting Mr. Rill.

In the case stemming from an incident that occurred February 10, 2023, in the 300 block of East Baltimore Street near Northwest Middle School in Taneytown, surveillance video showed Mr. Rill arriving near Naill’s, home, but not entering her property.  Telephone records revealed that Mr. Rill was trying to reach Michael Joiner, who lived on the property along with Naill.  Mr. Rill arrived at the property to retrieve a stolen tamper, a piece of construction equipment used to flatten and smooth dirt, that Joiner admitted he had and would return to Mr. Rill for an agreed upon sum of money.  The video further demonstrates that shortly after setting down her young child, Naill saw Mr. Rill and then immediately pulled a .380 caliber semi-automatic pistol from her hip and approached Mr. Rill while racking the slide on it.  Even though Mr. Rill was backing up and had his hands open and at his side, indicating he was not a threat, Naill left her property, continued to approach Mr. Rill, and placed the handgun to his head.  Fortunately, Mr. Rill was able to disarm Naill.  Video also shows that at the same time Naill was advancing towards Mr. Rill and leaving her property, Mr. Joiner had drawn a .45 semi-automatic handgun and pointed it at Ted Rill while approaching him.  Joiner was found guilty by a jury of two counts of First Degree Assault, two counts of Reckless Endangerment and two counts of Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Crime of Violence on August 17, 2023, and is scheduled for sentencing on November 8, 2023. 

In the case arising out of a January 4, 2023, traffic stop on Route 140 near the boundary between Baltimore County and Carroll, Naill was stopped by deputies of the Pro-Active Criminal Enforcement (PACE) Unit of the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office for crossing the double-yellow line and for an unsafe lane change. When stopped, Naill claimed she was returning from a doctor’s appointment in Baltimore County for her child, who was in the vehicle.  Naill could not remember the time of the appointment, but guessed it was 1:30 p.m. or 2:00 p.m., which would have been impossible based on the time of the stop.  A K-9 Unit alerted deputies to the presence of a controlled dangerous substance in the vehicle, and deputies searched and found 12.6 grams of crack cocaine, which based on the packaging and amount, indicated an intent to distribute all or part of the drugs, according to law enforcement experts.

Naill accepted a binding plea from Carroll County Circuit Court Judge Brian L. DeLeonardo, under the terms of which Naill’s active portion of incarceration is five years in the Maryland Department of Corrections.  She will have an opportunity to ask Judge DeLeonardo to modify the sentence and consider her for entry into a drug treatment program.  Upon serving her sentence, she will be placed on five years of probation and must have no contact with Ted Rill, his father Lester Rill, or any other member of the Rill family or the Rill Construction Company.  

The Office of the State’s Attorney for Carroll County was represented by Deputy State’s Attorney Sandra L. Johnson.  The lead investigator in the assault case was Corporal Theodore Buck of the Maryland State Police (MSP).  MSP was aided by officers of the Taneytown Police Department as well as personnel of the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office.  MAGLOCLEN (Middle Atlantic-Great Lakes Organized Crime Law Enforcement Network) provided video enhancement services in aid of the prosecution.  

The lead investigator in the drug case was Master Deputy Darren Metzler of the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office.  He was supported by other members of the PACE team, the overriding purpose of which is to proactively seek out and investigate criminal activity, including drug dealing in Carroll County.   

Carroll County State’s Attorney Haven Shoemaker praised the teamwork of members of multiple law enforcement agencies in helping secure Naill’s guilty plea and commented that, “Drug dealers who ply their deadly trade in Carroll will face swift and serious consequences,” and further remarked, “Gunplay around our schools will not be tolerated under any circumstances.”