Maryland Live! Casino Attempted Murder Leads to 30-Year Sentence for Repeat Convict

Posted on: September 9, 2021, 05:43h. 

Last updated on: September 9, 2021, 02:36h.

Ed Silverstein @casinoorgedsilv Read More
Expertise: Legal, Tribal Gaming.

A 28-year-old man is heading to prison for 30 years after getting convicted for last year’s attempted murder of another man in a parking lot at Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland.

Johnson was arrested in Baltimore City on unrelated charges of fleeing from police and gun possession
An Anne Arundel, Md. police cruiser, pictured above. Departmental officers investigated a shooting at Live! Casino Maryland, which led to the conviction and sentencing of a defendant. (Image: Patch)

Alonta Johnson of Baltimore was sentenced recently by Anne Arundel County Circuit Court Judge Cathleen Vitale. He was found guilty by a jury of attempted second-degree murder, use of a firearm in the commission of a crime of violence, and possession of a regulated firearm, prosecutors said.

Earlier, Johnson was convicted in 2014 for an unrelated armed robbery. He was on probation when the casino shooting took place.

The circumstances that led to the Maryland casino shooting began on July 19, 2020, when Anthony Jeppi and three friends were leaving the Live! Casino in Hanover.

Jeppi walked past an Infiniti sedan parked in a lot. Inside was Johnson. He began to argue with Johnson. It is unclear what caused the dispute. Johnson then took out a firearm and shot one round of bullets at Jeppi, prosecutors claim.

Spleen, Ribs Injured

Jeppi suffered injuries to his ribs. A bullet also penetrated his spleen. Johnson then drove off, leaving Jeppi seriously injured.

Anne Arundel County Police and EMTs arrived. Jeppi was transported to the University of Maryland Medical Center. He underwent surgery. His spleen was removed. Based on their examination, doctors determined that a bullet could not be removed from his body because of the medical risk, given it was too close to his spine.

Police began collecting and reviewing evidence in the shooting. An Anne Arundel police detective watched the incident captured on the casino’s surveillance video system.

The detective determined that a suspect went into the casino earlier that day. He had given an ID to employees which listed his name as Alonta Johnson. Police also noted the clothes and accessories worn by the suspect.

Baltimore City Arrest

Sorting through license plate reader data, the same detective spotted a car, matching the one at the casino, leaving a nearby mall about two minutes after the shooting.

On July 21, Johnson was arrested in Baltimore City on unrelated charges of fleeing from police and gun possession.

He was wearing a pendant and watch that were identical to those worn by the shooting suspect at the casino, prosecutors said. The Infiniti was located later in Baltimore City.

“The defendant’s actions were cold and callous and this sentence holds him accountable for his actions,” Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney Anne Colt Leitess said in a recent statement. “There’s no reason that a simple disagreement should lead to an individual being shot.”