PRINCE FREDERICK, Md. — Calvert County Circuit Court Judge Andrew S. Rappaport sentenced Gail Lynne Hawkins, 68, of Port Republic to 25 years in prison Monday, suspending all but four years of active incarceration, for first-degree assault and obstruction of justice stemming from a 2024 domestic violence incident.
Hawkins fired multiple gunshots at her husband during the altercation. No one was struck or injured. After she was charged, prosecutors said Hawkins attempted to pay her husband to refuse to testify against her, leading to the additional obstruction charge.
The sentencing hearing took place Dec. 8, 2025, in the Calvert County Circuit Courthouse on Main Street in Prince Frederick. Upon release from the Division of Correction, Hawkins must serve five years of supervised probation with conditions set by the court.
Calvert County Deputy State’s Attorney Timothy Maher and Assistant State’s Attorney Anthony Navalaney handled the prosecution. The case originated from a domestic disturbance call in the Port Republic area, a waterfront community along the western shore of Calvert County near Scientists’ Cliffs.
First-degree assault in Maryland carries a maximum penalty of 25 years imprisonment. The offense requires proof that the defendant intentionally caused or attempted to cause serious physical injury or used a firearm in the commission of an assault. Obstruction of justice, when involving witness tampering, is punishable by up to 20 years.
Judge Rappaport imposed the statutory maximum sentence of 25 years but suspended 21 years, resulting in four years of executed time. Maryland sentencing guidelines for first-degree assault involving a firearm typically recommend incarceration, though the exact range depends on criminal history and aggravating factors. Court records show Hawkins had no prior felony convictions in the state.
Calvert County State’s Attorney Robert Harvey’s office has placed increased emphasis on domestic violence prosecutions in recent years. The county maintains a dedicated Domestic Violence Unit within the Circuit Court that coordinates with the Calvert Crisis Response Team and the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office Domestic Violence Coordinator.
The victim’s current status and any civil protective orders were not disclosed in open court Monday.