Defense counsel for 15-year-old Tracen Anthony is expected to appeal the defendant’s guilty plea conviction for a double shooting in Fells Point last year, citing the teen was wrongly tried as an adult.
On Nov. 6, Anthony and his attorney, Hunter Pruette, agreed to move forward with the prosecution’s conditional plea offer of 40 years, suspending all but 12 years, and five years of supervised probation for attempted first-degree murder and a concurrent five years without parole for using a firearm in the commission of a crime of violence. The defendant is also required to receive anger management treatment, register as a gun offender and stay away from the two victims and Fells Point.
Charges against Anthony included multiple counts of attempted first- and second-degree murder and first-degree assault as well as reckless endangerment and related weapons charges.
The teen, who was 14 years old at the time of the shooting, is accused of shooting a 19-year-old woman and a 17-year-old man. The victims were shot in their right legs, court documents state, and treated for their injuries.
Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Timothy J. Doory repeatedly paused Thursday’s guilty plea hearing to ensure Anthony understood the agreement. When accepting a plea, defendants are able to appeal if their a) constitutional rights were violated 2) counsel was ineffective or 3) sentence fell above or below the minimum guidelines. Doory informed Anthony that the conditional plea allows the defendant to appeal the court’s decision to try him as an adult.
“You’re still a child, but you strike me as being intelligent and exactly understanding your circumstances,” the judge said, adding that the issue is whether Anthony should’ve been tried in juvenile or adult court.
No further details were discussed during the hearing.
Judge Doory also granted Pruette’s request in agreement with the prosecution to delay Anthony’s sentencing until May 2026 to provide counsel time to complete the motion. Anthony’s sentencing was scheduled for May 4, 2026, when counsel is expected to discuss any updates with the case.
According to statement of charges as read by the prosecution, the shooting unfolded around 2 a.m. on the 600 block of S. Broadway Street on Oct. 5, 2024. Anthony was with a group of people in the area when another group arrived, including the two victims. The prosecutor said Anthony fired at the other group moments later.
Court documents state Anthony walked toward Alliceanna Street, pulled up his hood, took out a gun and fired into the crowd of the victims.
During the Baltimore Police Department’s (BPD) investigation, Anthony was identified as a suspect and was seen in a vehicle during an officer’s traffic stop on the same day of the shooting. On Oct. 7, 2024, detectives identified Anthony as the shooter after reviewing surveillance footage.
