Judge Sentences Domestic Violence Defendant Under Youth Rehabilitation Act

By D.C. Witness Staff - April 9, 2021
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Probation | Shooting | Suspects |

A DC Superior Court judge sentenced a domestic violence defendant to two years of probation under the Youth Rehabilitation Act (YRA), which will effectively seal his case once he completes his requirements. 

The defendant pleaded guilty to attempted assault with a dangerous weapon back in January. 

He “is the reason that the Youth Act was created,” said defense attorney Sylvia Smith. “He is young, he made a mistake and he doesn’t deserve to be branded by a scarlet letter with a felony conviction on his record this young,”

Judge Michael O’Keefe sentenced the 22-year-old defendant to 18 months, all of which were suspended, plus 24 months of supervised probation.

Conditions of his probation include registering as a gun offender, completing a mental health assessment, participating in individual and grief counseling, being employed or seeking employment, taking a substance abuse assessment, refraining from the use of drugs or alcohol and taking anger management classes. 

He will also have to complete the GED program he is currently enrolled in and do 90 hours of community service. 

The defendant was initially charged with carrying a pistol without a license outside a home or business, assault with a dangerous weapon and unlawful discharge of a firearm.

Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers arrested the defendant outside his relative’s home on Oct. 6, 2020, after receiving reports of shots fired into the house where he was living at the time, according to the prosecution’s proffer of facts. 

On the night of the incident, witnesses reported that the young man had gotten into a physical altercation with another person, who was also staying at the house. 

When was asked to leave the home, surveillance footage played during the hearing shows the defendant turning back towards the house and firing five shots at the house from over the front yard’s fence. 

No one was injured. 

During the hearing, the prosecution recommend a suspended sentence with no time, given the defendant’s age, clean criminal record and perfect compliance with his pretrial release conditions. 

If the defendant is able to complete the conditions of his probation before the two-year period is up, Judge O’Keefe said that he could be a candidate for early release from probation. 

McKenzie Beard wrote this article.