A St. Mary’s County jury found Devonte Arnez Shubrooks, 29, of California, MD, guilty of Felony First-Degree Assault for the strangulation of an 11-year-old child.

 

Sarah Proctor, Special Victims Unit (SVU) Chief for the Office of the State’s Attorney for St. Mary’s County, prosecuted the case. She said, “Events of trauma to children are never easy for the child to re-tell, especially in a court setting; in this case, the child showed her strength.”

 

State’s Attorney Jaymi Sterling said, “I want to extend appreciation to the jury members for their time and attention during the trial, to the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office for their diligence and professionalism throughout the investigation of this case, and to SVU Chief Sarah Proctor for never shying away from prosecuting tough cases.”

 

The conviction carries a maximum penalty of 25 years of incarceration. Shubrooks is being held without bond pending sentencing.

 

The Honorable Joseph M. Stanalonis presided over the case.