Martino Marcus Young

By Zak Failla From Daily Voice

A Maryland man who terrorized students during a violent armed carjacking outside of a Charles County school will spend nearly two decades in prison, authorities announced.

A jury convicted Martino Marcus Young, 21, following a four-day trial on a host of charges stemming from an incident at St. Charles High School last year.

According to the Charles County State's Attorney, Young was found guilty of:

  • Armed carjacking;

  • Armed robbery;
  • Two counts of first-degree assault;
  • Four counts of use of a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence, and related offenses.

According to the state's attorney's office, Young was sentenced to 18 years in prison on Wednesday, Nov. 12.

On March 6, 2024, deputies rushed to St. Charles High School in Waldorf for reports of an armed subject, according to the Charles County Sheriff’s Office. 

One victim told investigators that he and two friends were confronted and assaulted by four suspects in the school’s parking lot.

Another victim reported that he was struck several times in the face with a firearm, dropping his car keys in the struggle. One suspect then stole his car, police said. 

Both victims suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

Detectives learned the ambush stemmed from a dispute the day before between one of the victims’ friends and a juvenile co-defendant of Young. 

The following day, suspects parked near the victims’ car and attacked them as they walked outside. One suspect brandished a gun and threatened a student before stealing his vehicle.

The entire assault was captured on school surveillance cameras, investigators said. Young was later identified as one of the suspects.

During sentencing, Assistant State’s Attorney Kate Edmands, asking for more than 30 years in prison, told the judge that Young was “the mastermind behind all of this.” 

She continued, “This case is serious and excessive as they came to a school in Charles County, brought guns to the school, and pistol-whipped victims,” adding that one of the victims had permanent disfigurement.

In addition to his prison term, a judge also ordered that Young be placed on supervised probation for five years when he is released. If he violates the terms of that probation, he will face up to 30 more years in prison.