Homicide Co-Defendants’ Trials Scheduled for January 2023

By Alyssia Davis [former] - August 25, 2022
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Shooting | Suspects |

On Aug. 24, three of four homicide co-defendants rejected a plea offered by the State, scheduling their trial for January 2023 before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa M. Phinn.

Nathan Presberry, 26, Ronald Maranto, 31, Joel Duncan, 26, and Luciano Bruno, 26, are facing multiple murder, assault and weapons charges, including first and second-degree attempted murder, reckless endangerment and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder.

According to a news release, Baltimore Police reported the arrest of the three men after a physical altercation on the 1700 block of Thames Street at approximately 1:04 a.m on Jan. 15. 

The suspects got into a car after the altercation and shot the victim from a vehicle, police said. 

Presberry was offered a plea of life in prison, suspending all but 20 years with five years supervised probation for first-degree attempted murder; 20 years in prison, with parole eligibility after five years for use of a firearm during a violent crime; 20 years in prison, suspending all but 10 years with five years probation upon his release for two counts of first-degree assault with the charges set to run concurrently.

Maranto was offered a plea of life in prison suspending all but 40 years with five years supervised probation for first-degree attempted murder; 20 years in prison, with parole eligibility after five years for the use of a firearm during a violent crime; 25 years in prison, suspending all but 10 years with five years probation upon release for two counts of first-degree assault, all the charges are set to run concurrently. 

Duncan was offered a plea of life in prison, suspending all but 30 years in prison, with five years supervised probation for first-degree attempted murder; 20 years in prison, with parole eligibility after five years for the use of a firearm during a violent crime; 25 years in prison, suspending all but 10 years with five years supervised probation upon his release for two counts of first-degree assault, all the charges are set to run concurrently. 

Duncan, Maranto, and Persberry and their defense attorneys, John Deros, Tyler Mann, and Jason Rodriguez, respectively, rejected the plea offers. In addition, all four co-defendants waived their Hicks date, which is their right to be tried within 180 days of their or their attorney’s first court appearance. 

Bruno, represented by defense attorney Andrea Mahasa, was not offered a plea deal. 

All co-defendants, in this case, are scheduled to be tried consecutively beginning on Jan. 9, 2023. Each trial is expected to last five days.