Juvenile crime arrests have increased by 146% compared to last year, according to the Baltimore City State's Attorney's Office. In 2023, there were 66 arrests for serious crimes involving minors in Baltimore City. So far in 2024, there have been 163 arrests.
Baltimore City State's Attorney Ivan Bates released a statement Tuesday afternoon, saying: "Today's sentencing should send a clear message to every parent or guardian in our city: It is possible to be held accountable for your child's actions and you cannot turn a blind eye to, or be complicit in, criminal activity without facing consequences. As protectors of our youth, we must exemplify positive behavior and guide them during times of crisis. My office will not tolerate parents or guardians who act as instigators, agitators, or facilitators of violence. As a city, let's commit to a safer Baltimore for our residents, especially our children."
"It is my hope that the victims in this case feel safer knowing Jared Ford will never be free to conduct himself among law-abiding residents ever again," said Bates.
Prosecutors said Cornell Moore and Keith Russell were involved in a murder-for-hire enterprise with a gang operating in Baltimore City and elsewhere in Maryland.
Bates said it can take days or even weeks until a child is arrested for another crime before his office and the court are notified that there's an ankle monitor violation.
These counts include participation in a criminal gang, first-degree murder, use of a firearm to commission a crime of violence, felony possession of a firearm, attempted first degree murder and more.
Defendant William Harris, represented by defense attorney Jason Rodriguez, was convicted of 10 charges Aug. 20 despite his attorney’s self-defense argument. Though five shots were fired during the incident on the intersection of 32nd Street and Greenmount Avenue, the victim was uninjured.
As I have said before, the state of laws in Maryland are a work in progress. It is deeply concerning when reports surface of an armed robbery at gunpoint, and the suspect is arrested but later released to go home simply because they are 14 years old. This incident starkly highlights the breakdown in the juvenile justice system, causing frustration among victims and residents alike. Fortunately, new laws that I fervently advocated for in the last legislative session will soon go into effect in about 40 days, offering hope for improvement. It is critically important to note that the suspect could have been detained in this incident, and that decision lies solely with the Department of Juvenile Services.
While the grief from Pava’s preventable murder continues to challenge us all, we must remember the good work she did in her short 26 years on this planet. The strong foundation that she laid, and all of the amazing progress that is being made in her name, and in her honor, in her adopted home state of Maryland.
