State v. James Stephen Gass, Jr.
C-08-CR-23-000446 & C-08-CR-22-000462
LA PLATA, MD—Tony Covington, State’s Attorney for Charles County, announced that on Friday, March 22, 2024, Charles County Circuit Court Judge Monise A. Brown sentenced James Stephen Gass, Jr., 32, of Leonardtown, to a total of 14 years in prison for two separate cases. Gass was sentenced to 9 years for First-Degree Assault against four juveniles and the Unlawful Use of a Firearm During the Commission of that First-Degree Assault. In a separate case, he was sentenced to an additional 5 years for possessing a firearm illegally due to a prior felony conviction. Upon release, Gass will be on supervised probation for five years.
On December 1, 2023, Gass entered a guilty plea to the aforementioned charges.
On June 6, 2023, officers made contact with a juvenile victim who reported that he and three other juvenile victims were threatened by a driver operating a white Ford Crown Victoria. An investigation revealed that the four juveniles were riding their bikes in the area of Chicamuxen Road and Mason Springs Road when Gass pointed a long gun at them and threatened to harm them while using racial epithets.
During the investigation, an officer discovered Gass’ vehicle parked in the Dollar General located on Bicknell Road. When the officer attempted to make contact, Gass entered his vehicle and fled from multiple officers, causing a high-speed chase.
During the incident, Gass was a convicted felon and was prohibited from possessing firearms.
C-08-CR-22-000462
- Possession of a Firearm with a Felony Conviction
- 5 years in prison
C-08-CR-23-000446
- Count 1: First-Degree Assault
- 20 years with all but 9 years suspended
- Consecutive to sentence in C-08-CR-22-000462
- Count 2: Unlawful Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Felony or Crime of Violence
- 20 years suspend all but 9 years in prison
- Concurrent with Count 1
- 5 years of supervised probation
###