Howard County jury finds man guilty of 2021 murder and gang activity

Dillon Mullan, Howard County Times, Columbia, Md.
·1 min read

Feb. 13—By Dillon Mullan — dmullan@baltsun.com

February 13, 2024 at 7:33 p.m.

A Howard County jury found 36-year-old Jeremi Quentin Lewis guilty of first degree murder Monday.

Lewis, who court records list as homeless, shot 21-year-old Jaden Ealey behind a gas station in Columbia in May 2021. Ealey died nearly two weeks later.

Lewis was facing 12 charges related to the murder as well as his involvement in a gang and pleaded not guilty to all charges last month, according to court records. Following a trial overseen by Circuit Court Judge Timothy J. McCrone, he was found guilty of nine charges, including assault, illegal possession of a firearm and organizing, supervising and financing a gang.

Man arrested, charged with murder in fatal May shooting of Columbia man, Howard police say

"Our heart goes out to everyone who was harmed by the defendants of this criminal gang organization and in particular, Mr. Ealey's family," Howard County State's Attorney Rich Gibson said in a news release.

The gang was called the "59 Hoover Criminal Gang," according to a news release from Howard County Executive Calvin Ball. Seven other members of the gang have already been convicted and are facing sentences between four and 18 years while one other gang member is awaiting sentencing, according to the news release.

Lewis has a sentencing hearing scheduled for May 1 and faces life without parole plus 100 years, according to the release.

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