Johnson Randolph Beckwith, 28, of Bushwood remained in St. Mary's jail without bond after a court hearing Wednesday on an indictment charging him with possessing heroin last July with the intent to distribute the drug.

Grand jurors charged Beckwith after St. Mary's narcotics detectives filed initial district court charging papers alleging that a raid at the suspect's home found “a quantity of suspected heroin” in his possession.

In addition, Beckwith was served this week with charges of theft and second-degree burglary in court papers alleging that law officers carrying out the drug raid at his home found a black powder .50-caliber rifle that had been reported missing earlier that month after a break-in at Ricky Lynn Taylor's business office in a pole barn in Mechanicsville.

JOHN WHARTON