LEONARDTOWN — A St. Mary’s County jury convicted Joseph Daren Brooks Jr. of first-degree murder and related firearm charges in November 2025, and a judge sentenced him to life in prison plus 25 years on June 8, 2026.
Deputies from the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office responded to reports of shots fired near Fox Ridge Road and Valley Drive in Lexington Park on February 26, 2024. They found an unconscious victim inside a vehicle suffering from a gunshot wound to the head. The victim later died from his injuries.
Brooks, then 21, faced charges of first-degree murder, use of a firearm in the commission of a violent crime and illegal possession of a regulated firearm by a disqualified person. A five-day trial ended with guilty verdicts on all counts.
The court imposed a total sentence of life plus 25 years, with life plus five years of active incarceration.
State’s Attorney Jaymi Sterling said the sentence removes a dangerous offender from the community. “Our community has no room for gun violence, especially when a senseless pull of the trigger comes at the cost of a life,” she said. “While this sentence cannot undo the devastation inflicted on the victim’s family, it guarantees that this dangerous offender is removed from our streets.”
Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Alena Mosier and Assistant State’s Attorney Shaye Reynolds prosecuted the case. Detective Warren Forinash of the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office led the investigation. The Honorable Joseph Stanalonis presided.
Gun violence remains a concern in parts of St. Mary’s County. Local law enforcement and prosecutors continue to emphasize swift investigation and prosecution of firearm-related crimes to protect residents.
The sentencing concludes the criminal case stemming from the 2024 shooting. Court records and public statements outline the facts established at trial.
