Jason Lewis, a 42-year-old resident of Washington, D.C., has been sentenced to 12 and a half years in prison for the killing of 13-year-old Karon Blake. The incident occurred in January 2023 on Quincy Street, NE, Washington D.C. This was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Lewis was convicted on August 16, 2024, for multiple charges including three counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, and one count of voluntary manslaughter while armed against a minor. Superior Court Judge Anthony Epstein delivered the sentence.
The trial revealed that around 4:00 a.m. on January 7, 2023, Lewis left his home armed with a loaded handgun after spotting two individuals breaking into cars. Video evidence showed him firing at these individuals as they fled, hitting their vehicle. Subsequently, Karon Blake ran towards Lewis who then fired two shots into Blake's left side resulting in his death. Lewis claimed self-defense stating he felt threatened by the initial individuals he shot at; however, the jury dismissed this defense.
Lewis was taken into custody on January 31, 2023, but was released in March over objections from the government.
U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith praised the efforts of investigators from both the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. They also acknowledged Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey Wojcik and Shauna Payyappilly for their roles in prosecuting the case.