Tag Archives: handgun

JURY CONVICTS EDGEWOOD MAN OF ATTEMPTED SECOND DEGREE MURDER IN HARFORD MALL SHOOTING

DATE: December 11, 2024
RE: State v. Wesley Larry Lyons Jr.

On Wednesday, December 11, 2024, Wesley Larry Lyons Jr. was found guilty of Attempted Second Degree Murder, Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Crime of Violence, two (2) counts of Illegal Possession of a Regulated Firearm After Being Convicted of a Disqualifying Crime, Loaded Handgun on Person, and five (5) counts of Reckless Endangerment following a four-day jury trial before the Honorable Diane Adkins-Tobin in the Circuit Court for Harford County.

Evidence presented in trial proved that on Sunday, June 2, 2024 at approximately 4:00 p.m., Bel Air Police Officers were dispatched to the Harford Bounce Party Place located at 698 Bel Air Road, in the Harford Mall, for the report of a shooting with an injured person. It was reported that the suspect in the shooting had already fled the scene, running out of the mall.

Officers were able to develop information on the suspect quickly from numerous victims and witnesses on scene. Officers were also able to review security footage of the shooting. The video showed a group of individuals arguing and fighting when the suspect produced a handgun from his waist area, which appeared to have an extended magazine. The suspect fired several shots at the victim who was trying to break up the altercation. The victim was struck by one bullet in his upper left thigh, one bullet in his groin, and one in his finger. It was discovered that the victim was there helping set up for a one-year-old’s birthday party. The child’s father, Wesley Larry Lyons Jr, was identified as the shooter. A fight broke out between Lyons’ mother and the mother of the one-year-old. Lyons took several seconds to clear a path before firing the gun five times at the victim. Lyons then put the gun in his waist band and fled the mall, running past several people.

Surveillance footage showed that at the time the victim was shot, two additional adults and two children were standing behind the victim, recklessly endangering them by putting them at risk of being shot. It was learned during the investigation that Lyons was prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a 2017 conviction for Possession with the Intent to Distribute and a 2009 conviction for Robbery.

Police were unable to apprehend Lyons on the day of the shooting. After a 28-day manhunt, Lyons was found in a Red Roof Inn in Anne Arundel County where he was arrested and transported back to Harford County Detention Center. Following the verdict, Lyons was returned to the custody of the Harford County Detention Center where he will be held pending sentencing. Sentencing has been scheduled in this matter for February 13, 2025.

Following the conviction, State’s Attorney Alison M. Healey stated: “It is despicable that anyone would resort to gun violence to resolve their issues. However, I am particularly appalled by Wesley Lyons and the decision he made to commit this heinous and very violent crime at the birthday party for a one-year-old child. This is further exacerbated by the fact that he did so in the presence of multiple other children and adults as well, placing them all in danger, when they were simply trying to engage in a celebration for a child in a bouncy house in as public of a place as the Harford Mall. As a prohibited person, he showed his complete disregard for the law as well as for the lives of those around him. Harford County will be a safer place with him incarcerated for decades to come.”

State’s Attorney Healey further expressed thanks to Assistant State’s Attorneys Vincenzo Culotta and Frank Van Dyke for their efforts in prosecuting this case and securing these felony convictions of this violent offender. She also expresses her gratitude to Bel Air Police Department Detectives Vivino and Marchesani and Harford County Sheriff’s Office Detective Wilsynski for their thorough investigation, as well as the Harford County Sheriff’s Office Warrant Apprehension Unit for their perseverance that ultimately led to the defendant’s capture.

CONVICTED FELON FOUND GUILTY IN FIREARM POSSESSION CASE

DATE: December 6, 2024
RE: State v. John Thomas Preston Jr.

On Thursday, December 5, 2024, John Thomas Preston Jr. was found guilty of Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Felon in Possession of a Rifle/Shotgun, False Statement to a Police Officer, and multiple related firearms and ammunition offenses following a three-day jury trial before the Honorable Diane Adkins-Tobin in the Harford County Circuit Court.

Evidence presented in trial proved that on January 10, 2023, Deputies with the Harford County Sheriff’s Office responded to a residence in Bel Air, Maryland for reports of a shooting. Deputies made contact with the Defendant, John Thomas Preston Jr., who was suffering from a gunshot entry wound on his left thigh and a gunshot exit wound on his left shin. Deputies recovered a bullet in Preston’s sock. Preston told deputies that he was arriving home after being followed by a vehicle and was ultimately shot upon exiting his vehicle. Preston was unable to provide any identifying information for the vehicle or the alleged shooter and told police multiple conflicting versions of the incident. A shell casing and blood was located near an exterior side entrance of his residence. Through the course of their investigation, detectives began to suspect Preston made up this story to cover up accidentally shooting himself in the leg.

Detectives ran a criminal background check for Preston and learned that he was prohibited from possessing a regulated firearm due to prior felony convictions for Possession with the Intent to Distribute Controlled Dangerous Substances. Detectives executed a search warrant for Preston’s residence. During that search warrant, they recovered a short-barreled shotgun with an obliterated serial number, and a shell casing matching the one found on the exterior of the residence was also located in Preston’s bedroom. A Rossi .357 revolver and .45 caliber ammunition were also recovered from the residence.

Following the conviction, State’s Attorney Alison M. Healey offered the following comment: “I will always be a strong advocate for responsible, legal gun ownership, but when a convicted felon blatantly ignores the restrictions imposed upon him by the law and diverts law enforcement resources into knowingly false investigations, it puts our community at risk. I commend this jury for seeing through the Defendant’s false statements and finding him guilty of these offenses.”

State’s Attorney Healey further expressed thanks to Assistant State’s Attorney Gabriella Vazzana for her efforts in securing these firearm and related convictions and to Harford County Sheriff’s Office Deputies Tabler and Vasquez and Detectives Sergent and Reynolds for their thorough investigation of this case. Further gratitude goes to Harford County Sheriff’s Office Corporal Ghaner and Maryland State Police Firearms Examiner Houser for their expert firearm testimony that was instrumental in securing these convictions.

Whiteford Man Convicted of Firearm Charges in Relation to Drug Trafficking

MEDIA RELEASE
DATE: May 13, 2022
RE: Conviction of Nicholas Hunt

(Bel Air, Maryland) – Albert J. Peisinger, Jr., State’s Attorney for Harford County, has announced the conviction of Nicholas Hunt, 26, of Whiteford, Maryland, for possession of a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime and possession of a regulated firearm after having been convicted a disqualifying crime.

On August 29, 2018, the Warrant Apprehension Unit of the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services were investigating the apprehension of a fugitive at 1313 Gold Medal Way in Edgewood Maryland. Upon arrival at that address, investigators encountered Nicholas Hunt, who led investigators into his apartment where the fugitive was staying. Upon entry, investigators discovered marijuana in plain view along with a disassembled firearm. At this point, the Harford County Sheriff’s Office was notified, and a search and seizure warrant was obtained.

Following the execution of the search and seizure warrant on Nicholas Hunt’s apartment, the Harford County Narcotics Task Force recovered approximately three ounces of cocaine and one and a quarter pounds of marijuana along with paraphernalia indicating that the illegal drugs were being weighed and packed for street level distribution. Also recovered was a 1911 Browning semi-automatic handgun near the drugs.

Subsequent to a grand jury indictment on the charges in 2018, the defendant fled the State and was eventually apprehended in Las Vegas, Nevada on September 3, 2021. On May 12, 2022, Nicholas Hunt pled guilty to possession of a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime and possession of a regulated firearm after having been convicted a disqualifying crime. The Honorable Kevin J. Mahoney sentenced Mr. Hunt to an aggregate sentence of 35 years of incarceration, suspend all but 10 years to be served without the possibility of parole to the Department of Corrections. Upon completion of those sentences, the defendant was additionally placed on five years of supervised probation.

Mr. Peisinger thanked Assistant State’s Attorney Cristin Treaster who prosecuted this matter and commended the Harford County Narcotics Task Force, the Harford County Sheriff’s Office, the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services and the Maryland State Police Forensic Sciences Division for their teamwork and dedication which resulted in the arrest and conviction of Nicholas Hunt.