LA PLATA, MD—A Charles County jury delivered a guilty verdict on August 28, 2025, convicting 20-year-old Martino Marcus Young of armed carjacking, armed robbery, two counts of first-degree assault, four counts of use of a firearm during a crime of violence, and related charges. The verdict followed a four-day trial that detailed a brutal assault in the parking lot of St. Charles High School on March 6, 2024, leaving two juvenile victims injured and one without his vehicle.
The incident began when Charles County Sheriff’s Office officers responded to a report of an armed suspect at the Waldorf school. A juvenile, referred to as Victim 2, told officers he and two friends were ambushed by four suspects in the school’s parking lot. A school resource officer simultaneously met with another juvenile, Victim 1, who described being struck multiple times in the face with a firearm during the attack. The blows caused him to drop his car key, which one of the suspects used to steal his vehicle. Both victims sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
Investigators uncovered that the assault stemmed from a dispute the previous day. On March 5, 2024, a friend of Victim 1 had a verbal altercation with Young’s juvenile co-defendant at St. Charles High School. Later that day, Victim 1 drove his friend to the co-defendant’s apartment complex in Waldorf, but no confrontation occurred. The following day, the suspects orchestrated a calculated attack. They parked near Victim 1’s vehicle and ambushed the group as they approached. While one friend escaped unharmed, Victims 1 and 2 were assaulted, with one suspect brandishing a firearm and threatening Victim 1. The group fled, taking Victim 1’s car.
School surveillance cameras captured the assault, providing critical evidence. Through diligent investigation, authorities identified Young as one of the suspects. The Charles County Sheriff’s Office, known for its robust community policing in Southern Maryland, collaborated with school officials to piece together the events, ensuring a thorough case for prosecution.
Young’s trial revealed the severity of the charges. Armed carjacking and armed robbery carry significant penalties under Maryland law, with potential sentences of up to seven years each. First-degree assault, classified as a felony, can result in up to 25 years per count, while each firearm charge carries a mandatory minimum of five years without parole. Young faces a maximum of 155 years in prison, with sentencing scheduled for October 31, 2025, at 2 p.m. before a Charles County Circuit Court judge.
As Young awaits sentencing, the community remains focused on healing and prevention. The victims, both students at St. Charles High, have returned to their studies, supported by school counseling services. The stolen vehicle was later recovered, though details of its condition were not disclosed. The juvenile co-defendant’s case remains separate, with no public details available due to Maryland’s juvenile justice protocols.