Updated – 3:55 p.m., Thursday – The woman who turned herself into police days after being caught on surveillance video using missing Bethesda resident John Patrick Donohoe’s credit card told police that her boyfriend gave her the card, according to court documents filed in Rockville District Court.
Chernor Sheriff, 25, of Upper Marlboro was charged Friday with four counts of credit card fraud for racking up $700 in charges on Donohoe’s card at two beauty supply stores and a McDonald’s in Prince George’s County on Dec. 22 and 23.
The statement of charges in the court documents notes that Sheriff turned herself in on Dec. 29, the same day that Montgomery County police released surveillance video of her making purchases using Donohoe’s card.
Donohoe, 36, has been missing since leaving his parent’s Bethesda home in his 2011 Chevrolet Equinox around 10:30 a.m. Dec. 13. The court documents note that Donohoe was released Dec. 12 from Suburban Hospital and that his family was “concerned about his mental wellness and were not able to make any contact with him after he left.”
Donohoe’s father is Bob Donohoe, the chairman and CEO of The Donohoe Cos., a prominent developer in the Washington, D.C., area. In Bethesda, the development firm completed the Gallery Bethesda apartment building in 2014 and is working on a second apartment building next to it.
“Finding the link between the credit card and John is what we still need to do,” Bob Donohoe told NBC4 earlier this week.
According to court documents, Sheriff first told detectives at Montgomery County police headquarters in Gaithersburg that a man standing outside Premium Beauty Supply in Hyattsville handed her the credit card as she approached the store. However, she later confessed that her boyfriend, identified in court documents as 37-year-old Victor Sesay, gave her the credit card to use. She told police she didn’t know how he got it and that she doesn’t know John Donohoe.
Police spokesman Rick Goodale said detectives interviewed Sesay Wednesday night, but he has not been charged with any crime at this point. Goodale said police could not provide any other information about Sesay at this time. Maryland court records list Sesay at the same Upper Marlboro address as Sheriff.
Innocenti said police have no direct evidence that points to Donohoe being deceased and the case remains an active investigation. Police have not yet located his vehicle.
The court documents note that Sheriff purchased items including Brazilian natural hair extensions, soothing oil and a “lace Brazilian wig” at the beauty supply stores.
