Cumberland man arrested after disruption at city hall meeting

Cumberland man arrested after disruption at City Hall meeting

Police say repeated refusal to leave council session led to multiple charges.

CUMBERLAND, Md. – A Cumberland man was arrested Tuesday evening after allegedly disrupting a City Council meeting at City Hall and refusing repeated lawful orders to leave, according to the Cumberland Police Department.

The incident occurred April 7 while an officer was assigned to the council meeting. Police identified the individual as John Cody Readd, 32, of Cumberland. Officials said his behavior caused a disturbance during the public session, prompting intervention.

Arrest at City Council meeting

According to the Cumberland Police Department, Readd was instructed multiple times to leave City Hall due to his conduct but refused to comply. The officer then placed him under arrest at the scene.

Readd was transported to police headquarters for processing before being taken to Central Booking. A District Court Commissioner later conducted a bond hearing, after which Readd was held on a temporary commitment.

Key Points
• Cumberland man arrested after disrupting City Council meeting at City Hall
• Police say he refused multiple lawful orders to leave the premises
• Charges include disorderly conduct and failure to obey a lawful order

Charges and court process

Readd faces several charges under Maryland law, including trespass at a public agency during hours of operation, disorderly conduct, disturbing the peace by loud noise, and failure to obey a reasonable and lawful order.

The case will proceed through the District Court of Allegany County following the initial hearing. Authorities have not released additional details about the nature of the disruption.

Shore News Network

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.