Army sergeant released on bond after drug arrest

A 26-year-old Army staff sergeant who is assigned to military intelligence and has a top secret security clearance at Aberdeen Proving Ground was freed last week on $75,000 bond after being arrested on charges of selling marijuana and crack cocaine to undercover detectives on three occasions during the past month, according to Sgt. Edward Hopkins, spokesman for the Harford County Joint Narcotics Task Force.

Staff Sgt. Jerome Oliver Pinkney Jr. of the 1200 block of Independence Square in Belcamp was taken into custody at a shopping center parking lot near his residence April 14, ending a monthlong investigation, Sergeant Hopkins said.

Task force detectives seized 4 ounces of marijuana and 2 ounces of crack cocaine, and, during a search of the man's residence, confiscated 24 ounces of marijuana, three-quarters of ounce of crack cocaine, $330, a 1986 Ford van and a 1988 Acura Legend, Sergeant Hopkins said.

Gary Holloway, director of public affairs at the proving ground, said Sergeant Pinkney has worked at the Army base for about eight months with the Foreign Materials Intelligence Battalion.

He said Sergeant Pinkney analyzes performance of military equipment used by foreign countries and has no access to classified or sensitive information pertaining to any U.S. military projects or equipment.

John J. O'Neill, the warden at the Harford County Detention Center, said Sergeant Pinkney was released to proving ground military police Wednesday.