Attempted Murder Defendant Pleads Guilty to Assault, Firearm Use

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A 23-year-old man pleaded guilty in Baltimore City Circuit Court for shooting at his ex-girlfriend’s uncle last June.

Tavon Jones was initially charged with attempted first- and second-degree murder, first- and second-degree assault, firearm use in a felony violent crime, illegal possession of a regulated firearm, having a handgun on his person, having a loaded handgun on his person, having a handgun in a vehicle, having a loaded handgun in a vehicle, illegal possession of ammunition and firing a gun in Baltimore City for a June 28, 2023, shooting on the 5300 block of Valiquet Avenue.

In court Aug. 26, Jones accepted the prosecution’s recently amended plea offer to first-degree assault and firearm use in a felony violent crime. For first-degree assault, Jones will serve 25 years, suspending all but five years. For firearm use in a felony violent crime, he will serve the mandatory minimum of five years without the possibility of parole concurrently to the assault charge. Upon release, Jones will be required to serve two years of supervised probation, register as a gun offender and stay away from the victim.

Judge Levi S. Zaslow accepted Jones’ guilty plea, but counsel agreed to delay sentencing until February 2025.

Defense attorney Brad MacFee requested the judge consider allowing Jones to serve his sentence on home detention, since Jones has already completed 400 days of home detention without a single violation. Judge Zaslow would not decide Monday, but asked counsel to prepare to discuss that issue at the sentencing hearing.

According to charging documents, Jones and the victim got into a fistfight inside his ex-girlfriend’s house as the victim kicked him out. Jones later pulled his car alongside the victim’s and shot a .38 caliber round at the victim, which punctured his car’s tire. No one was injured in the shooting.