Two men are facing second-degree assault charges following an incident that occurred during a protest outside a Washington County commissioners meeting. The event, which took place on February 3, 2026, involved a demonstration by Washington County Indivisible against the “ICE Warehouse” in Williamsport, Maryland, and a counter-protest where Richard Hrabe from Hagerstown, Maryland was present, reportedly holding a sign that read “ICE is Nice” and wearing a MAGA hat according to photos shared with Radio Free Hub City in which Hrabe was arrested by Washington County Sheriff’s Office. This marks the latest in a series of encounters Hrabe has had in relation to protests, though his previous charges have all been dismissed. A day after the incident, Hrabe filed his own complaint for charges directed at one of the protesters, who allegedly assaulted Hrabe.
Updated 2/4/2026 3:51 PM to add new information that a second person had been charged.
Updated 2/4/2026 1:46 PM to clarify that no others were charged in the incident.
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The current legal proceedings against Hrabe stem from an interaction during the demonstration outside the County Administration Building. Court documents filed in the District Court for Washington County indicate the charge was filed on February 3, 2026. Hrabe, 41, is listed with an address in Hagerstown, Maryland. The arresting agency is identified as the Washington County Sheriff’s Department, with Officer Howard Ward listed as the complainant. The case, with the number D-112-CR-26-002242, is currently open and classified as a criminal matter. While Washington County Sheriff’s Office did not charge anyone else in relation to the incident, Hrabe filed for charges against a man identified as ‘Chace Amos’, address unknown, for second degree assault. The charges are visible in case D-112-CR-26-000044, with Hrabe as the complainant.
The last time Hrabe was charged related to a protest involved Ocewana Baker, a candidate for the Maryland House of Delegates in District 2B. Baker and Hrabe were both charged with assault and related offenses following an incident on October 18, 2025. While Baker received a Probation Before Judgment disposition in that case, Hrabe’s charges were dismissed. Hrabe has been involved in multiple protest-related incidents, but all previous charges against him so far have been dismissed.
Article by Mel Anara, based upon information from Maryland Case Search.
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From The Journal newspaper out of WV, Crime Report
Nov 1, 2020. “Richard William Hrabe Jr., 36, of Quartz Road, Martinsburg, was arraigned Oct. 26 in Berkeley County Magistrate Court on the misdemeanor charges of domestic battery and false information.” Do the math on his age and you got your man from this current news story. Going back to 2018, again from the same WV newspaper: “Richard William Hrabe, Jr., 34, of Grandview Lane, Clearbrook, Virginia, was arraigned Sunday in Berkeley County Magistrate Court on the misdemeanor charges of domestic battery and obstructing an officer.” Your typical MAGA male.