Samuel Curtis Russ Sentenced to Maximum Sentence for First-Degree Assault

TALBOT COUNTY, MD - Samuel Curtis Russ of Willards, Maryland, has been sentenced to 25 years of active incarceration after pleading guilty to First-Degree Assault in the Talbot County Circuit Court.

Russ also pled guilty to two counts of Felony Witness Intimidation, for which he received a 40-year suspended sentence to be served consecutively. Upon release, he will be subject to five years of supervised probation.

The sentence follows an investigation by the Easton Police Department and the Talbot County State's Attorney's Office. The case was prosecuted by Deputy State's Attorney, Chelsea Endzel.

The charges stem from an incident on June 13, 2025, when Easton Police Department officers were dispatched to check on the welfare of an individual.

Upon arrival, they found a female victim with visible injuries to her face, head, and neck.

The investigation revealed that Russ and the victim were in a romantic relationship. On the evening of the offense, Russ physically assaulted the victim for several hours, preventing her from leaving their shared residence or accessing her cell phone.

The assault included multiple instances of strangulation. The victim was able to contact 911 only after Russ fell asleep. The victim stated throughout the investigation that she believed Russ was going to kill her during the assault.

Russ was arrested at the scene and held without bond at the Talbot County Detention Center. Despite a protective order and pretrial conditions prohibiting contact, Russ contacted the victim multiple times from the detention center.

In recorded communications, he pressured her to recant her statement, fail to appear in court, and refuse to testify. He also made several admissions regarding the assault.

Deputy State's Attorney Endzel commented, "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. 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."