Police nab suspect as knife-wielding peeping Tom prowls Gaithersburg neighborhoods

Montgomery County police have arrested a suspect in a series of peeping Tom incidents in Gaithersburg and Derwood. Steven Jarezz Adams, 32, of Silver Spring has been charged with indecent exposure, trespassing, first-degree assault and related charges. For over a month, authorities say, he stalked families, exposed himself, and even jabbed a knife at a resident who confronted him. He is being held without bond at the County jail.

Here's how events unfolded, according to the timeline released by detectives:

It started on Christmas Eve—December 24, 2025, around 3:46 a.m. A woman inside her home in the 8300 block of McCullough Lane in Gaithersburg looked toward her sliding glass door and saw Adams exposing himself right there, staring in at her. He fled into the night, leaving her shaken.

Then, on January 7, 2026, he struck twice in the same area. At about 6:40 p.m., another woman in the 8300 block of McCullough Lane spotted a shadow at her window. She pulled back the blinds—and there was Adams. He took off when confronted.

Later that same night, around 10:30 p.m., a neighbor in the 17700 block of Silkcotton Way saw Adams shining a flashlight through the sliding glass door of a home, peering inside before vanishing.

The escalation came on January 15, 2026, about 7:05 p.m. A man in the 8300 block of McCullough Lane got a motion alert from his patio security camera. He went outside to check—and confronted Adams face-to-face. That's when Adams allegedly pulled a knife and swung it at the victim before running off. This wasn't just voyeurism anymore. This was a dangerous assault.

Investigators dug in. They identified Adams as the suspect and discovered he had a prior arrest for peeping tom incidents back in 2022. With that history staring them in the face, detectives secured an arrest warrant.

The takedown came on January 20, 2026, around 7:30 p.m. Detectives spotted Adams heading to the rear of a multi-level apartment complex in the 8000 block of Gramercy Boulevard in Derwood. Using the department's Air Support Unit drone, they watched from a safe distance as Adams moved from window to window and door to door, looking in and exposing himself again.

When officers from the 1st, 5th, and 6th District Special Assignment Teams moved in to make the arrest, Adams bolted. But it was a short chase. They caught him, cuffed him, and took him straight to the Montgomery County Central Processing Unit.

Police believe Steven Jarezz Adams has violated others who haven't come forward. Take a look at his photo. Does this man look familiar? Did you see him lurking around your neighborhood?

If you were a victim of indecent exposure by this man, or have any information that could assist detectives, you are asked to call police at 240-773-5770, or visit the Crime Solvers of Montgomery County, MD website at www.crimesolversmcmd.org and click on the “www.p3tips.com” link at the top of the page or call 1-866-411-8477. Tips with information leading to an arrest may be eligible for a reward from $250 up to $10,000. Tipsters may remain anonymous.

Sinners guitar case popcorn bucket available at 2 AMC Theatres in Montgomery County

Sinners, one of the biggest blockbuster movies of 2025, just set a new record in 2026 for the most Oscar nominations of all time. While an anticipated nomination haul had already spurred a return to the big screen for the vampire flick, AMC Theatres has sweetened the even-better-than-fans-expected 16 nominations celebration with a very limited-edition Sinners guitar case popcorn bucket. So limited-edition, that the chain has currently removed the collectible from its website, where some lucky fans have successfully scored one when it has intermittently appeared in the online store.

That leaves buying one the old-fashioned way as your best bet. But the guitar case is not available at every AMC cineplex. Fortunately for Montgomery County moviegoers, two AMC locations here are on the list: AMC Montgomery 16 at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda, and AMC Dine-in Rio Cinemas 18 at Rio Lakefront in Gaithersburg. If they sell out there, or if it's more convenient for you, the bucket is also available at the AMC Columbia 14 in Howard County, the AMC Georgetown 14 in Washington, D.C., and the AMC Tysons Corner 16.

You may want to call ahead to confirm they still have some in stock. Tonight's showing of Sinners is already sold-out at AMC Montgomery 16. You don't have to see the movie to buy the popcorn bucket, though. Tomorrow is likely to be a no-go due to the expected impact of the winter storm that is hitting the area tonight, but tickets are still being sold for Sunday's screening as of this writing.

Kitchen Social coming soon to Gaithersburg

Kitchen Social is coming soon to Gaithersburg. It is taking over the large space at 203 Crown Park Avenue at Downtown Crown. Kitchen Social has a large presence in the great state of Ohio, and one location in the Sunshine State. This will be its first restaurant in the Mid-Atlantic region. The chain is known for its menu of global cuisine, and its signature Cheddar Scallion Biscuits with honey butter. Kitchen Social is expected to open this summer.

Panic grocery buying begins ahead of snow in Montgomery County (Photos)

Several days of media coverage of the snow storm expected to arrive Saturday night in the Washington, D.C. area has inspired a run on essential items at local grocery stores. Empty shelves were visible in some aisles at Harris Teeter in downtown Bethesda last night. Products being snapped up include the old stalwarts of milk, toilet paper, and paper towels. 

Shoppers are dutifully following new health advice from Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., and are buying whole milk over the low-fat options. Of course, if power goes out due to ice or falling trees, massive supplies of milk will be of little value. Also going fast under RFK, Jr.'s guidelines: red meat. 

Snow totals were expected to top 13" in initial guesses, but the National Weather Service Winter Storm Watch is now talking about 5-10" of snow accumulation. Given the decline of area government resilience in the face of even a few inches of snow this century, 5-10" could paralyze the region for days. Back in the 90s, Metrobus and Ride On kept going on major routes under reduced frequency, and Metro certainly ran on underground segments if not aboveground with more intense snow plowing operations. In recent years, the entire transit system shuts down during moderate to heavy snowstorms, and governments urge residents to "shelter in place." Heckuva job, Brownie!

Incompetence of government means you're on your own until plows and utility crews belatedly reach your neighborhood. Make sure you have plenty of batteries for flashlights and a transistor radio to receive news and weather updates in the event of a power outage. Warm clothes and blankets are essential, as well. Shelf-stable milk will be a lot more useful than those perishable plastic jugs people are hoarding. And fill your gas tank at least halfway.

Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich to hold data center community forum Feb. 3

Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich announced today that he will host a community forum on the hot button issue of data centers on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM at the Montgomery County Executive Office Building at 101 Monroe Street in Rockville. The forum will be held in the Auditorium of the building, and will also allow virtual participation online via Microsoft Teams. 

Input collected from the public at the forum will be considered as the County government formulates new legislation, policies, and regulations regarding data centers. The controversial facilities are considered essential, along with ample energy resources, to the development of artificial intelligence and related economic and job growth. But the lack of jobs provided by the facilities themselves, their heavy energy use and cooling needs, imposing size, and noise pollution have generated strong community opposition. Adding to the increasing focus on data centers has been a vigorous attempt by states to divert attention from the impact of their past moves to shutter power plants and force the purchase of wind and solar power, which along with government fees have jacked up energy bills in Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and elsewhere, by placing the blame on data centers.

"Data centers are part of the modern economy, and we need to have an honest conversation about what they mean for Montgomery County," Elrich said in a statement today. "Data centers can bring investment and jobs, but they also place real demands on our power grid, our water supply, and our land use. I want residents, businesses, and environmental advocates at the table, so we need to get this right. The decisions we make now will affect our climate goals, our neighborhoods, and energy costs for years to come. This forum is about listening first and making sure any policy we adopt reflects the values and priorities of the people who live here."

Montgomery County Council President Fani-González (D-Dist. 6) and Councilmembers Balcombe (D-Dist. 2) and Sayles (D-At-Large) have already proposed a zoning text amendment that would limit data center locations to industrially-zoned sections of the county. At-Large Councilmember Evan Glass (D) has introduced his own bill, which would establish a data center task force, if passed.

Chris Burnett, a Republican running for the 6th Congressional District in Maryland, which includes part of Montgomery County, warned against the Council pursuing a "piecemeal" approach to data center regulation. "Whatever the Councilmembers decide should be aligned to a part of a strategic plan. I offer real leadership strategies instead of knee-jerk reactions and band-aid solutions through my Innovation Corridor plan," Burnett, a retired Marine Corps officer and national security lawyer, said in a statement. "The piecemeal approach being proposed is what got Virginia into the mess it's in, and we appear to be wading into the exact same scenario without any long-term solutions. This shortsighted approach that doesn't align with national security strategies will inevitably lead to short-term gains at the expense of local residents without any opportunity for strategic growth."

Shooting at Gaithersburg McDonald's

Gaithersburg City police are investigating a shooting that took place at the McDonald's restaurant at 465 N. Frederick Avenue last night, January 19, 2026. Officers from the City and Montgomery County police responded to a report of a shooting there at 7:08 PM Monday. They found a male victim suffering from a gunshot wound to his leg. He was transported to a local hospital, where his injuries were determined to be non-life-threatening. 

Police refer to there being multiple suspects in the shooting, who fled the scene and remain at large. Anyone with information related to this incident is urged to contact the Gaithersburg Police Department Investigative Section at 301-258-6400. Those wishing to remain anonymous may call the Gaithersburg Tip Line at 301-330-4471.

NIST AI center in Gaithersburg seeks input on securing AI agents

The era of AI is shifting from models that simply "chat" to agents that "act." As we move toward systems capable of planning, executing tasks, and interacting with the real world autonomously, a critical question emerges: How do we keep these agents secure? To answer this, the Center for AI Standards and Innovation (CAISI) at NIST in Gaithersburg has issued a Request for Information (RFI). This is a call to action for the tech community to help shape the security standards for the next generation of AI.

Unlike traditional AI, agentic systems don't just provide information; they take actions. They can navigate software environments, manage files, or even interact with physical infrastructure. While this autonomy promises a massive leap in productivity, it also introduces a new "attack surface" that goes beyond traditional software vulnerabilities.

The RFI highlights that while agents share some common risks with standard software (like memory leaks or authentication bugs), they also face unique AI-driven threats:

Indirect Prompt Injection: Where an agent processes data from the web or an email that contains hidden instructions, tricking the agent into performing unauthorized actions.

Data Poisoning: Using insecure or manipulated models that have been "trained" to behave maliciously under specific conditions.

Alignment Risks: "Specification gaming," where a model achieves its goal in a way that is technically correct, but is at the same time harmful or dangerous to the computer network or software system it is working within.

NIST is looking for data and insights across several topics: 

Threat Landscape: How do agent-specific threats evolve over time?

Development Best Practices: How can we build security into the agent's "brain" from day one?

Cybersecurity Gaps: Where do current security protocols fall short when applied to autonomous agents?

Measurement & Monitoring: How do we quantify the "safety" of an agent before it's deployed?

Guardrails: What interventions can limit an agent’s access to sensitive environments?

The responses NIST receives from industry leaders, researchers, and developers will directly inform voluntary guidelines and best practices used by organizations worldwide. As these systems become integrated into national security and public safety infrastructure, establishing a baseline for "what good looks like" is essential. "The security challenges not only hinder adoption today but may also pose risks for public safety and national security as AI agent systems become more widely deployed," NIST/CAISI warned in a press release announcing the RFI this week.

If you are a developer, security researcher, or deployer of AI systems, NIST wants your case studies, actionable recommendations, and technical insights. The submission deadline is March 9, 2026, at 11:59 PM ET. To submit any materials in response to this RFI, go to www.regulations.gov and search for docket no. NIST-2025-0035.

Kentlands Market Square seeks permission for larger signage from Gaithersburg

Kentlands Market Square has filed an application with the City of Gaithersburg requesting an amendment to its August 2020 site plan approval for signage at the property. Kimco Realty, Inc., the property owner, is seeking permission to enlarge wall signs bearing the development name beyond the dimensions allowed under City code. If approved, the wall signage could increase beyond the existing zoning allowance of 13.5-square-feet to 40 SF. 

The Gaithersburg Planning Commission will review the request at its January 21, 2026 meeting at 7:30 PM. City planning staff are recommending approval of the amendment.

Germantown man dies in Damascus auto accident

A one-car auto accident claimed the life of a Germantown man early yesterday morning, January 14, 2026. Michael Patrick Fitzgerald Jr., 28, was found unconscious in his 2025 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross, which left the roadway and struck a tree at the intersection of Bethesda Church Road and Johnson Drive in Damascus at 1:19 AM Wednesday. Fitzgerald was transported to a local hospital, where he tragically passed away later from his injuries. Montgomery County police ask that anyone with information regarding this collision contact the Collision Reconstruction Unit at 240-773-6620.

Two suspects arrested in Jan. 2 homicide in Gaithersburg

Montgomery County police have arrested two suspects in the January 2, 2026 shooting death of 18-year-old Taeyon Malachi Prather in Gaithersburg. 16-year-old Wisdom Da-Silva Baptista, of Gaithersburg, and 20-year-old Kevin Jesus Perez Fierro, of Montgomery Village, have been charged with first-degree murder and armed robbery. The robbery was allegedly of a jacket that Prather had intended to sell to the suspects, and other unspecified property belonging to the victim. 

Detectives say a tip submitted to the department led to the apprehensions. Arrest warrants were obtained for both suspects on January 11. The following day, Perez Fierro was taken into custody at his home in Montgomery Village, and Da-Silva Baptista was arrested at his home in Gaithersburg. Both suspects are being held at the Montgomery County Central Processing Unit while they await bond hearings. While Da-Silva Baptista has been charged as an adult, his mugshot was not released by police.

Hommali Thai Dining opening Wednesday in Gaithersburg

Hommali Thai Dining is opening tomorrow, Wednesday, January 14, 2026, at 614 Quince Orchard Road at Quince Orchard Plaza in Gaithersburg. The restaurant's name is the Thai phrase, "Thai Jasmine rice," and refers to the aroma of it. A soft, non-glutinous rice, Hom Mali rice is most often used in grilled, stir-fried, and braised dishes, as well as in soups. Hommali is operating on soft-opening hours today and tonight, according to the restaurant.

Police searching for suspects in Montgomery Village robbery

Montgomery County police have released some minimal details on the Christmas Eve strong-arm robbery that took place in front of new townhomes in Montgomery Village. Two suspects assaulted two adult victims, and took their property. Police describe the suspects only as two Black males, aged late 30s to early 40s. If you have any information that could assist detectives in closing this case, call police at (301) 279-8000.

Maryland's MARC earns F grade in survey of America's commuter rail systems

Trains magazine, a publication that provides in-depth coverage of the passenger and freight railroad industries, recently used federal transit data to rate America's commuter rail systems. Maryland's MARC commuter rail received a failing F grade, ranking it as one of the nation's worst. In contrast, Virginia Railway Express earned a B.

The magazine noted that MARC service expanded during the 1990s, and that the state made great effort to update train equipment during the gubernatorial terms of William Donald Schaefer and Parris Glendening. This century, the picture has turned far bleaker for Maryland rail commuters.

Trains found MARC ridership dropped 64% between 2018 and 2023. MARC now has the worst cost efficiency, and the poorest mechanical reliability record of any medium size commuter railroad in the country. In other words, Maryland is at rock bottom in commuter rail service. The magazine summed up its analysis of MARC by saying, "it's tough to find a silver lining."

Reporter John Friedmann described the criteria and data utilized in the magazine's survey as follows: Each railroad was graded on the same five criteria. Efficiency was calculated by the operating cost per passenger mile. Utilization, or how much do passengers utilize the network, was measured by the number of passenger miles per route mile. Growth was determined by a comparison of 2018 ridership versus 2023 ridership. Relevance was measured by number of rail trips per area resident. And reliability was rated by the number of mechanical failures per train mile.

All data was compiled from the Federal Transit Administration's National Transit Database.

Not surprisingly, the Long Island Railroad and Metro-North Railroad in New York earned an A grade in the survey. So did commuter systems in Salt Lake City and Denver, railroads that aren't discussed as often as their more famous counterparts like the MBTA, Metra, and SEPTA, all of which scored below the Utah and Colorado lines in this survey - but far higher than our beleagured MARC. Can it get any worse for Maryland? Yes! Beyond a massive structural budget deficit forecast, any Purple Line financial losses will siphon even more money from MARC over the coming decades.

Walmart burglarized in Germantown

Montgomery County police responded to a burglar alarm at the Walmart Supercenter at 20910 Frederick Road at the Milestone Shopping Center in Germantown in the early morning hours of December 20, 2025. Officers arriving at the scene found evidence of forced entry at the store. Merchandise was stolen from inside. Police have no descriptions of the burglar(s) at this time. They have not yet indicated how surveillance cameras inside and outside the store would have failed to capture images of any individuals involved.

Stolen car discovered in Clarksburg High School parking lot

A stolen vehicle was found in the parking lot at Clarksburg High School at 22500 Wims Road. According to police, the vehicle had been stolen in Rockville on December 31, 2025. The car was unoccupied when it was discovered at the school. Rockville City police describe the suspect who stole the vehicle, which had been left unattended with the engine running in the 800 block of Rockville Pike on New Year's Eve, only as a Hispanic male of unknown age.

Police investigate homicide in Gaithersburg

Montgomery County homicide detectives are investigating the death of a man in Gaithersburg on Friday, January 2, 2025. At 7:21 PM that evening, Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service personnel were dispatched to a parking lot in the 23600 block of Rolling Fork Way. The 911 caller had reported a man laying on the ground there. When paramedics arrived at the scene, they found 18-year-old Taeyon Malachi Prather of Gaithersburg suffering from a gunshot wound. He was declared dead, and police were then called to investigate.

Prather's death was ruled a homicide after a coroner's examination. Police say no suspect is in custody and no suspect information is available at this time. Detectives are asking anyone with information related to this homicide to contact Crime Solvers of Montgomery County. Tips can be submitted anonymously by visiting crimesolversmcmd.org and clicking “Submit a Tip,” or by calling 1-866-411-TIPS (8477). Tips leading to an arrest may be eligible for a reward ranging from $250 to $10,000.

Gaithersburg Mayor & Council holding public hearing on Rio Lakefront apartment proposal tonight

The Mayor and Council of Gaithersburg will hold a public hearing tonight, January 5, 2026, on the proposal to build up to 500 apartment units at the Rio Lakefront development in Gaithersburg at 7:30 PM. Under the plan, new residential buildings would be constructed on the other side of the development's lake, between the boardwalk and I-270. Public comment submitted to the City has been trending negative toward the proposal. One factor not helping win public support is the generic architecture being shown at this stage, which resembles numerous other recent apartment buildings in many places in our region (what do you call those tacky facade "frames" that are on virtually every new building these days?), and does not mesh well with the existing structures on the opposite side of the lake.

Assault in townhome development in Gaithersburg

Gaithersburg City police responded to a report of an assault at a townhome community Tuesday morning, December 30, 2025. The assault was reported at a townhome development in the 400 block of Carousel Court at 9:50 AM Tuesday. That is a neighborhood behind the Gaithersburg Aquatic Center. The assault took place in the residential parking lot.