Judge Sentences Defendant Under Youth Act

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On Sept. 14, a DC Superior Court judge sentenced a defendant for attempted assault with a dangerous weapon and carrying a pistol without a license.

Stephan Harper was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon in September of 2019. As part of a plea deal with the prosecution, Harper pleaded guilty to the lesser charges of attempted assault with a dangerous weapon and carrying a pistol without a license outside a home or business.

Judge Danya Dayson sentenced Harper to 18 months in prison, all of which were suspended, plus two years of probation for carrying a pistol without a license. He was also sentenced to two years in prison, all of which were suspended, plus two years of probation for attempted assault with a dangerous weapon. The probations will run concurrently.

Harper, 20, was sentenced under the Youth Rehabilitation Act (YRA), which will effectively seal his case after he completes his requirements.

The terms of Harper’s probation include GPS monitoring, obtaining and maintaining employment and registering as a gun offender. He must also complete 90 hours of community service.

According to court documents, Harper got into a fight inside of a 7-Eleven store on the 3900 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, SW. During the altercation, Harper fired two shots, one of which hit a bystander in the foot and the other hit a car with a two-year-old child in the back seat. The child was not injured.

Judge Dayson said, the offense is extremely troubling and could have been much worse. However, the judge accepted the crime as an impulsive decision and noted that Harper was only 19 at the time. Based on this and Harper’s training as an electrician, Judge Dayson suspended the entirety of his sentence.

Harper must also pay $200 to the Victims of Violent Crime (VVC) compensation fund.