Hughesville Man Who Hosted Large Party and Violated Executive Orders Sentenced to One Year in Jail

September 25, 2020

Shawn Marshall Myers, 42, of Hughesville

UPDATE 9/25/2020: Tony Covington, State’s Attorney for Charles County, announced that on Friday, September 25, 2020, Shawn Marshall Myers, after a bench trial before District Court Judge W. Louis Hennessy, Shawn Marshall Myers, 42 of Hughesville, was convicted of two counts of Failure to Comply with an Emergency Order. Immediately after the trial, Judge Hennessy sentenced Myers, to 1 year of active incarceration to be served at the Charles County Detention Center. Upon release, Myers will be on unsupervised probation for a period of three years.

On March 22, 2020, multiple officers responded to Myers’ residence located in the 15200 block of Lukes Lane in Hughesville for the report of a large party violating Governor Larry Hogan’s State of Emergency and Large Gathering Orders. Large gatherings were strictly prohibited under the orders. Myers had approximately fifty people in attendance at his residence. Upon arrival, officers told Myers that his party violated the current mandate. Myers was argumentative with officers but eventually agreed to disband his party.

Less than a week later, on March 27, 2020, officers responded back to Myers’ residence for another report of a party exceeding fifty people. Officers told Myers to disband the party, but again he was argumentative claiming he and his guests had the right to congregate. Beyond being argumentative, Myers directed his guests to stay in defiance of Governor Hogan’s Orders and the officers’ lawful orders to disband the party. Officers tried to reason with Myers and obtain his cooperation to no avail.  Myers was then apprehended.

Count 1 – Failure to Comply with an Emergency Order 

  • Guilty
  • 6 months suspended/$1,000 fine suspended

Count 2 – Failure to Comply with an Emergency Order 

  • Guilty
  • 1 year in jail and $5,000 fine
  • 3 years unsupervised probation

3/28/2020: On March 27, 2020, at approximately 10:55 p.m., officers from the Charles County Sheriff’s Office responded to the 15000 block of Lukes Lane in Hughesville for the report of a large group of people at a single location in violation of Governor Hogan’s emergency order which prohibits planned gatherings of more than 10 people in response to the COVID-19 emergency.

When officers arrived, they observed approximately 60 people at a bonfire.

This is the second time officers have responded to this house for a large gathering:

On March 22, 2020, officers were dispatched to the house for a similar complaint. At that time, the homeowner, Shawn Marshall Myers, 41, was advised of the emergency order and he agreed to disperse the crowd. During the second incident, Myers refused multiple requests to comply with the emergency order.

After conferring with the Charles County State’s Attorney’s Office, Myers was subsequently charged with two counts of failing to comply with an emergency order and is currently incarcerated at the Charles County Detention Center on a no bond status.

The CCSO is reminding citizens of the emergency order and urging everyone to comply for the safety, health and well-being of all communities.

Shawn Marshall Myers, 41

Shawn Marshall Myers, 41