Maryland Man Sentenced To 1 Year In Prison For Hosting Large Parties During Pandemic

A Maryland man who hosted two large parties at his home flouting the governor’s restrictions on gatherings during the coronavirus pandemic was handed a one-year prison sentence.

Shawn Myers, 42, was convicted by a district judge Friday of two counts of failure to comply with an emergency order following a trial, according to a statement from the Charles County State’s Attorney’s Office.

In addition to serving a year in jail, Myers was ordered to pay a $5,000 fine. He will be held at the Charles County Detention Center, followed by a three-year unsupervised probation period, the statement reads.

Myers was arrested in March for throwing two large house parties at his Hughesville home in southern Maryland, each of which had at least 50 people in attendance, whereas Gov. Larry Hogan's orders state of emergency orders prohibited the gathering of more than 10 people amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Officers responded to Myers’ home on March 22 after receiving a tip-off about a large gathering, but he reportedly began arguing with the cops.

"Large gatherings were strictly prohibited under the orders. Myers had approximately 50 people in attendance at his residence," the state’s attorney for Charles County, Tony Convington, said in the statement. "Upon arrival, officers told Myers that his party violated the current mandate. Myers was argumentative with officers but eventually agreed to disband his party."

Police were again called to Myers’ home on March 27 regarding another "party exceeding 50 people." When officers asked him to shut down the party, he argued and claimed that “he and his guests had the right to congregate."

"Myers directed his guests to stay in defiance of Gov. 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," according to the statement.

Officers then arrested him.

Maryland has recorded as many as 122,972 confirmed cases as of Sunday, with 3,780 deaths. Gov. Hogan on Thursday visited Novavax, a company headquartered in Maryland which is working to develop a coronavirus vaccine, to learn more about their progress in the project.

The state plans to distribute its first round of vaccines among hospital residents, staff, healthcare workers, essential workers, public safety officials and teachers. Novavax’s vaccine is reportedly already in its second phase, with Hogan expecting to receive some of the initial vaccines.