Former Prince George's County police officer charged in conspiracy to create explosive devices

ANNAPOLIS, Md. — A judge has ordered a former police officer on house arrest after investigators accuse him of participating in a scheme to build explosive devices.

Prosecutors allege Micah Sam, who served as a K9 handler with the Prince George’s County Sheriff’s Office until November last year, helped Lee Ralston create more than 30 destructive devices.

Ralston was arrested in April after a search and seizure warrant led to the discovery of the devices in his Annapolis home.

Five months later, investigators from the Anne Arundel County Fire Marshal’s Office and the Fire/Arson & Explosives Investigative Bureau identified Sam as a co-conspirator and arrested him.

“Our investigation will continue until we are confident that there are no more leads and we have everything wrapped up,” spokesperson Steven Bishop told WMAR-2 News.

Sam is facing two counts of possession of explosives with intent to create and conspiracy to manufacture a destructive device. All three have a maximum punishment of 25 years and a $250,000 fine.

According to charging documents, Ralston not only provided the ingredients he needed but also safety advice and tips on how to build them stronger. The pair also texted between late March and July 20525, using Sam’s boat at the South River Marina in Edgewater as a drop-off and pick-up location.

“I have what we talked about on my boat,” Sam wrote to Ralston on March 23, 2025.

“Anything I should bring to transport it? I mean I don’t think so it’s super stable but you tell me,” Ralston wrote to Sam on May 17, 2025. Court records state the pair later met up that same day.

Investigators believe on at least two occasions, Sam provided explosive materials to Ralston.

On Thursday, Sam appeared in district court where the prosecution argued the 51-year-old was “a danger to society” and should be held without bond.

Meanwhile, his public defender says he maintains his innocence and argued for house arrest, pointing the finger at his co-defendant for having more culpability, and yet was released without additional pre-trial detention a few months ago.

The judge granted the request, while noting he was “concerned for the safety of the community.”

Sam has no criminal history.

Late last year, the sheriff’s office reports he resigned in lieu of termination over a finding in an unrelated internal investigation over timekeeping and hours.

In a statement to WMAR-2 News, the department called for accountability for anyone who breaks the law, including law enforcement officers.

“This agency does not tolerate criminal conduct by its members, and we support the pursuit of justice in this case,” the statement reads.

Sam’s next court date is later this month.

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