Ex-con who fired gun in the air at Calvert County landfill convicted

Jeff Jones

LUSBY, MD – A man who fired a gun twice in the air during an argument at the Appeal convenience center, a Calvert County-run landfill, was convicted in court this week.

On Wednesday, Patrick Allan Portzen, Jr., 40, of Lusby, was convicted of felony firearms possession and related weaponry charges after a 2-day jury trial.

After 3 hours of deliberation, the jury found Portzen guilty of 1st and 2nd Degree Assault.

According to the verdict, Portzen was involved in an argument at the Appeal convenience center on January 21, 2022. He brandished a firearm and fired two shots into the air.


Portzen had previously been convicted of a crime of violence and was legally prohibited from possessing a firearm.

Judge Mark S. Chandlee is scheduled to sentence Portzen on May 12, 2023. He faces a 15-year sentence. In the Calvert County Detention Center, where he has been held since January 21, 2022, Portzen is facing up to 15 years in jail.

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