EASTON, Md. - A Wicomico County man has been sentenced to 25 years after pleading guilty to assaulting a woman earlier this year in Talbot County.
According to prosecutors, police were called to an Easton home on June 13, 2025, for a request to check the welfare of a person. Upon arrival, police met with a woman who they said was clearly distraught and had visible injuries to her face, head, and neck. The ensuing investigation revealed that Samuel Curtis Russ, of Willards, who had a romantic relationship with the woman, physically assaulted her for several hours and would not let her leave or use her cell phone.
Prosecutors say the assault included Russ strangling the victim multiple times. Ultimately, Russ fell asleep, finally allowing the woman to use her cell phone to call 911.
Throughout the investigation and prosecution, authorities say the victim maintained she genuinely believed Russ was going to kill her.
Russ was arrested on the scene and taken to Talbot County Detention Center without bond and was ordered not to contact the victim. While incarcerated, prosecutors say Russ reached out to the victim multiple times, pressuring her to retract her statement, not appear in court, and refuse to testify. Prosecutors say Russ made several admissions regarding the assault during these communications.
On Nov. 21, Russ pleaded guilty to one count first-degree assault and two counts felony witness intimidation in Talbot County Circuit Court. For the first-degree assault charge, Russ was sentenced to 25 years. In the separate witness intimidation case, Russ received a 40-year sentence for that charge with all suspended, though he was also sentenced to five years probation following his active jail time.
“In too many of these cases the trauma of the victim continues even after the defendant is incarcerated and the victim is presumed to be ‘safe’ from further harm,” Talbot County Deputy State’s Attorney Endzel said. “The Talbot County State’s Attorney’s Office will continue dedicating resources to monitoring, investigating and prosecuting the intimidation of victims and witnesses to ensure that survivors can safely obtain justice and limit further traumatization.”
Talbot County State's Attorney