Stalking Charges Dropped Against Man in Miss Maryland Case

GERMANTOWN, MD — A Montgomery County man accused of stalking and harassing the woman crowned as the current Miss Maryland -- both through social media and at a personal appearance -- has had all charges dropped against him, according to Maryland online court records.

Valencio Fernandes Pires, 51, of Germantown was arrested at his home on Aug. 19 by Maryland State Police on charges of harassment, stalking, and electronic mail harassment. On Tuesday, Carroll County prosecutors dismissed the charges and he was released from jail.

Hannah Brewer, 19, of Carroll County, who currently holds the title of Miss Maryland, had filed a report with the Maryland State Police Westminster Barrack on Aug. 19 saying she had been receiving frightening and unwanted contact from Pires.

The Carroll County state’s attorney had no evidence to support the charges against Pires and "had his name dragged through the mud," said his attorney, Francis Malofiy, in a news release.

Police believe Pires first contacted Brewer in person at a planned Miss Maryland event in Hagerstown on Aug. 15. Authorities claim Pires used social media and emails to attempt communication with Brewer multiple times, even after requests were made for him to stop.

But Pires' attorney disagreed with that claim. "A great injustice has been visited upon Mr. Pires, who did nothing more than send a single fan message to a public figure that was in no way lewd or inappropriate, but simply congratulatory and supportive in nature," Malofiy said.

Pires is considering all avenues going forward, including filing a complaint for the false statements that were apparently made to the police and a civil suit for false imprisonment/malicious prosecution, his attorney said.

Brewer competed in the Miss America pageant last month in Atlantic City, NJ, finishing in sixth place in the competition.

»Screenshot of Miss Maryland Hannah Brewer from YouTube video of state pageant