Columbia man pleads guilty to being accessory in killing
Scheduled to be sentenced for role in 2007 Wilde Lake shooting
by Mike Santa Rita
Posted 6/03/08
A Columbia man today pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact in a fatal 2007 Columbia shooting.
On June 3, Kenneth Wayne Sledd, 21, pleaded guilty to one count of accessory after the fact for his role in the aftermath of the killing of Trae Davon Allen, 19, of Columbia, who was shot to death on May 21, 2007 in a Columbia townhouse.
He is scheduled to be sentenced by Howard County Circuit Court judge Diane Leasure on Aug. 7. He faces up to a year in prison, according to Howard County prosecutor Kim Oldham.
On the day of Allen's shooting, Sledd bought a bottle of bleach for Charles David Richardson, 23, of Columbia, who is charged with first-degree murder in Allen's death, according to a statement of facts Oldham read into the court record at Sledd's plea hearing.
According to the statement of facts, Richardson used the bleach to wash his clothes after shooting Allen earlier in the day. Sledd brought the bleach for Richardson after Richardson told Sledd that he had “merked” someone, according to the statement.
The term “merk” means to murder someone, according to the statement.
Richardson is scheduled be tried in Allen's killing on Sept. 29. Prosecutors allege that Richardson shot Allen in the face following an argument in Richardson's Wilde Lake townhouse on May 21, 2007.
Richardson also is charged with first-degree murder in the unrelated April 26, 2007 shooting death of 7-Eleven clerk Alevtina Zhilina, 40, of Columbia. He is scheduled to be tried in Zhilina's killing on Oct. 14. Zhilina was killed during a robbery while working at a 7-Eleven on Columbia Road, in Wilde Lake, according to Howard County police.
Oldham said Sledd could have faced up to five years in prison for the crime but that prosecutors will ask for no more than a year as part of the plea agreement.
Leasure said June 3 that she would not sentence Sledd to more than a year in jail.
The plea bargain does not require Sledd to testify against Richardson at Richardson's September trial in Allen's death, Oldham said.
Sledd's attorney, Jason Shapiro, said following the plea that Sledd probably would not testify at Richardson's trial.
Sledd is free on $10,000 bond, according to Wayne Kirwan, a spokesman for Howard County State's Attorney Dario Broccolino.
Richardson is being held without bond at the Howard County Detention Center.
E-mail Mike Santa Rita at msantarita@patuxent.com
On June 3, Kenneth Wayne Sledd, 21, pleaded guilty to one count of accessory after the fact for his role in the aftermath of the killing of Trae Davon Allen, 19, of Columbia, who was shot to death on May 21, 2007 in a Columbia townhouse.
He is scheduled to be sentenced by Howard County Circuit Court judge Diane Leasure on Aug. 7. He faces up to a year in prison, according to Howard County prosecutor Kim Oldham.
On the day of Allen's shooting, Sledd bought a bottle of bleach for Charles David Richardson, 23, of Columbia, who is charged with first-degree murder in Allen's death, according to a statement of facts Oldham read into the court record at Sledd's plea hearing.
According to the statement of facts, Richardson used the bleach to wash his clothes after shooting Allen earlier in the day. Sledd brought the bleach for Richardson after Richardson told Sledd that he had “merked” someone, according to the statement.
The term “merk” means to murder someone, according to the statement.
Richardson is scheduled be tried in Allen's killing on Sept. 29. Prosecutors allege that Richardson shot Allen in the face following an argument in Richardson's Wilde Lake townhouse on May 21, 2007.
Richardson also is charged with first-degree murder in the unrelated April 26, 2007 shooting death of 7-Eleven clerk Alevtina Zhilina, 40, of Columbia. He is scheduled to be tried in Zhilina's killing on Oct. 14. Zhilina was killed during a robbery while working at a 7-Eleven on Columbia Road, in Wilde Lake, according to Howard County police.
Oldham said Sledd could have faced up to five years in prison for the crime but that prosecutors will ask for no more than a year as part of the plea agreement.
Leasure said June 3 that she would not sentence Sledd to more than a year in jail.
The plea bargain does not require Sledd to testify against Richardson at Richardson's September trial in Allen's death, Oldham said.
Sledd's attorney, Jason Shapiro, said following the plea that Sledd probably would not testify at Richardson's trial.
Sledd is free on $10,000 bond, according to Wayne Kirwan, a spokesman for Howard County State's Attorney Dario Broccolino.
Richardson is being held without bond at the Howard County Detention Center.
E-mail Mike Santa Rita at msantarita@patuxent.com
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