Maryland man defies coronavirus emergency order, hosts bonfire with 60 people, police say

Courtesy: Charles County Sheriff's Office

Maryland man hosted about 60 people at a bonfire Friday night, defying the state's coronavirus emergency order, investigators said.

Shawn Marshall Myers, a 41-year-old registered sex offender who was also indicted as a murder accomplice, was arrested after twice violating Gov. Larry Hogan’s order against gatherings of more than 10 people, the Charles County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.

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Deputies first responded to a complaint of a large gathering at Myers’ home in Hughesville on March 22. Myers was advised about the governor’s order and agreed to break up the crowd.

Deputies responded to Myers’ home a second time shortly before 11 p.m. Friday and saw about 60 people at a bonfire, the sheriff’s office said. Myers refused to comply multiple times and was charged with violating the COVID-19 emergency order.

Hogan last week told citizens that state and local law enforcement will take “aggressive actions” to break up large gatherings.

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While penalties for breaking the order can include up to a year in prison and a $5,000 fine, the sheriff’s office did not immediately say whether Myers was facing such consequences.

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Maryland had 1,239 confirmed coronavirus cases and 10 deaths as of Sunday, according to the state health department.

Myers' criminal history includes a conviction for carnal knowledge/indecent liberties in Virginia in 2001, according to Maryland’s sex offender registry.

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In 2011, he was indicted on a first-degree murder charge for the 2004 Thanksgiving shooting of a 23-year-old man, The Washington Post reported at the time. Myers took a plea deal in exchange for his testimony against the other suspect, who was ultimately convicted, and received a 15-year suspended sentence for conspiracy to commit robbery.