Lucas Graham Hockaday and Tracey Otis Braswell
A local man facing trial for a 2024 stabbing incident is now accused of attempting to bribe a witness into altering testimony, according to court documents.
Lucas Graham Hockaday, 23, of Leonardtown, has been charged with felony jury intimidation, misdemeanor jury intimidation, and obstruction of justice after allegedly conspiring to prevent a key witness from testifying against him.
According to court records, Hockaday is currently awaiting trial for stabbing Tracey Otis Braswell on November 10, 2024. While incarcerated at the St. Mary’s County Detention and Rehabilitation Center, he allegedly attempted to influence Braswell, offering him $5,000 in exchange for refusing to testify or providing false information to prosecutors.
The investigation began when a confidential source (CS) housed at the detention center contacted the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office, reporting that Hockaday was involved in a scheme to manipulate the outcome of his trial.
The source claimed that after this interaction, an agreement was reached for Hockaday to pay Braswell $5,000 in exchange for either failing to appear at trial or falsely claiming not to remember the incident.
Investigators reviewed recorded phone calls from the jail’s phone system, and claim they provide clear evidence of a witness tampering scheme.
On January 15, 2025, at 1:56 p.m., Hockaday made a call to his sister, Holly Anne Hockaday, instructing her to expect a call from an unknown number and to answer immediately. He told her:
“Some sh#t went on, and it’s good news.”
When Holly asked who would be calling, he refused to say, simply telling her, “You’ll find out when they call.”
A second call at 3:27 p.m. allegedly revealed further details, with Hockaday instructing Holly to create a new CashApp account and immediately send $30 when the unknown caller contacted her.
During this call, Hockaday cryptically referenced the situation, saying:
“Christmas Tree came through the pod, and sh#t got squashed.”
Investigators believe this statement confirmed the bribe arrangement between Hockaday and Braswell.
Later that day, at 5:37 p.m., Hockaday made another call to Holly, who asked how long he and Braswell were in the same unit together. He responded:
“Maybe four hours.”
Holly then reminded him that cameras were present in the dayroom where they had interacted.
The final recorded call came at 6:50 p.m., when Holly reassured Hockaday:
“All is good.”
Hockaday asked: “On what side?”, to which Holly responded that she had not used her personal CashApp account to make the payment.
Detectives also reviewed security footage from the detention center, which, while lacking audio, appeared to support the informant’s claims.
The footage showed a tense interaction between Hockaday and Braswell, during which Hockaday attempted to shake Braswell’s hand, but was refused. The two men reportedly took “bladed stances,” suggesting they were preparing for a physical altercation that never occurred.
Additionally, the footage captured Braswell embracing another incarcerated individual upon his arrival, which investigators believe further corroborates details provided by the confidential source.
Hockaday has been ordered to appear in St. Mary’s County District Court for a preliminary inquiry on April 11, 2025, at 1:00 p.m.
If convicted, he faces severe legal consequences, including:
Up to 20 years in prison for felony jury intimidation.
Up to 10 years and a $5,000 fine for misdemeanor jury intimidation.
Up to 5 years and a $10,000 fine for obstruction of justice.
The St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office is continuing its investigation.
Lucas Graham Hockaday and Tracey Otis Braswell
