Lancaster teen pleads guilty to firing gun into occupied home

LANCASTER, Pa. — A Lancaster city teenager has pleaded guilty to firing a gun into a home last year and recording the act on video, resulting in a sentence that includes county prison time and probation.

Jevon Quatee Taylor, 17, of East Frederick Street, pleaded guilty Monday to charges including aggravated assault, possession of a firearm by a minor, firearms not to be carried without a license, recklessly endangering another person, and criminal mischief. Judge Dennis Reinaker sentenced Taylor to one year minus a day to two years minus a day in county prison, followed by four years of probation.

Due to spending over 10 months in custody while awaiting resolution, Taylor was immediately paroled. He will now serve the next 14 months on parole before beginning his probation term.

The incident occurred on August 7, 2023, when the then-16-year-old Taylor fired a gun through the first-floor window of a home in the 300 block of East Ross Street at approximately 11 p.m. Six people—two adults and four children—were inside at the time. No one was injured, but the shot caused about $500 in damage, lodging into a couch in the living room after breaking a window.

Investigators determined Taylor had recorded the shooting while on a FaceTime call. Police identified him from the video evidence and surveillance footage from the home, which showed Taylor pulling a firearm from his left pocket and firing a single round. Officers recovered a spent 9mm shell casing outside the residence.

During sentencing, Taylor expressed a desire to focus on graduating high school and being a father. Judge Reinaker, however, cautioned Taylor about the challenges of avoiding past patterns and urged him to avoid returning to court.

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