Keion Steven James Brooks, 23, of Great Mills
UPDATE 9/10/2025: State’s Attorney Jaymi Sterling announced that Keion Steven Brooks, 27, of Great Mills, Maryland, was sentenced to LIFE plus 45 years in prison for his participation in a drive-by shooting, which killed one teenager and endangered the lives of five additional teenagers.
On Wednesday, January 12, 2022, at 3:21 p.m., deputies from the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office responded to Pegg Road in Lexington Park for a reported shooting.
Deputies arrived on scene and located two male victims suffering from gunshot wounds. One victim was pronounced deceased at the scene.
Following a multi-day jury trial that concluded in November 2024, a St. Mary’s County jury convicted Brooks of one count of first-degree murder, for the killing of one teenage victim, and five counts of attempted first-degree murder for the attempted killing of the five additional teenage victims.
“This sentence demonstrates our office’s commitment to aggressively prosecuting senseless gun violence resulting in the loss of innocent life,” said State’s Attorney Jaymi Sterling. “Although we could never make each of these victims and victims’ families whole, I hope each of them can finally find peace and feel that justice has been delivered for the young man whose life was stolen and for every teenager who was targeted in this cowardly act of violence.”
Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Donna C. Pettersen presented the sentencing hearing on behalf of the citizens of St. Mary’s County.
Detective Austin Schultz and Sergeant Taylore Nauman of the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office were the lead investigators.
The Honorable Joseph M. Stanalonis presided over the case.
On Saturday, January 22, 2022, Keion Steven James Brooks, 23, of Great Mills, was arrested by Detective Austin Schultz from the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s and charged with the murder of Joseph James Oakes, age 19 of Lexington Park.
Brooks was charged with the following:
- MURDER – FIRST DEGREE
- MURDER-SECOND DEGREE
- ATT 1ST DEG. MURDER (5 Counts)
- ATT 2ND DEG. MURDER (5 Counts)
- ASSAULT-FIRST DEGREE (5 Counts)
- ASSAULT-SEC DEGREE (5 Counts)
- HANDGUN IN VEHICLE
- LOADED HANDGUN IN VEHICLE
- HANDGUN ON PERSON
- LOADED HANDGUN ON PERSON
- FIREARM USE/FEL-VIOL CRIME
- RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT FROM CAR (5 Counts)
Latres Javontae Cockerham, age 23 of Lexington Park
Latres Javontae Cockerham, age 23 of Lexington Park, was arrested on Friday, January 14, 2022, and also charged with the murder of Joseph James Oakes, age 19 of Lexington Park.
Oakes died from a gunshot wound to his upper body. A second victim sustained a gunshot wound to his right arm, and a third victim sustained an injury to his right leg from what appears to be a (bullet) grazing his leg.
Investigation revealed the shooting occurred on Pegg Road in the area of Ronald Drive, where officers recovered seven spent 9mm shell casings.
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Keion Steven James Brooks, 23, of Great Mills
On June 6, 2021, deputies from the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office responded to the 21600 block of Eric Road in Lexington Park, for the reported shots fired.
Deputies did not locate any victims, but several shell casings were located on scene. The Youth Gun Violence Task Force continued the investigation and on July 6, 2021, Keion Steven James Brooks, age 22 of Lexington Park, was arrested and charged in connection with the incident.
In that incident Brooks was charged with the following:
- Handgun on Person
- Loaded Handgun on Person
Keion Steven James Brooks, 23, of Great Mills
Latres Javontae Cockerham, age 23 of Lexington Park
Latres Javontae Cockerham, 26, of California (Previous Booking Photo)
