Annapolis, Md. – Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney Anne Colt Leitess announced today that Aaron Brice, 31, of Easton was sentenced to 25 years suspend all but 15 years of active incarceration for one count of solicitation of murder in the first degree during a one-day bench trial before the Honorable Robert J. Thompson on November 4, 2021.
“Not only did the defendant take no responsibility for his original crimes, but sought retaliation against the victim as well. I am very proud of the work Assistant State’s Attorney Josh Adrian did in in discovering the evidence of the defendant’s plot to kill the victim and for his and Assistant State’s Attorney Alena Mosier’s trial where he was found guilty at trial,” said State’s Attorney Anne Colt Leitess. “It’s my hope that this sentence provides the victim and her family with a sense safety and relief after this challenging ordeal.”
On March 10, 2021, while incarcerated at the Anne Arundel County Detention Center pending sentencing for several cases-including a second degree assault, multiple counts of violation of protective orders and theft- the defendant used another inmate’s account to request that a friend shoot the victim. During the call, the defendant lamented the fact that he was found guilty the day before on charges related to the victim. He proceeded to give the friend very detailed instructions on how to locate the victim, the victim’s daily work schedule and where the victim’s family resides as well as providing directions to their home, the street name and details regarding the types of cars they drive down to the license plate frame.
During the investigation, Assistant State’s Attorney Joshua Adrian discovered the solicitation call and notified the Anne Arundel County Police Department Homicide Unit. Detectives with the Anne Arundel County Police Department contacted the victim and residents of the addresses to ensure their safety and later, traced the number that received the solicitation call to Brice’s friend. The detectives executed a search warrant on the friend’s home and seized the cell phone that accepted the call from the defendant and found the victim’s address stored on the device.
The defendant declined to speak to detectives when they interviewed him.
Assistant State’s Attorneys Joshua Adrian and Alena Mosier prosecuted this case on behalf of the citizens of Anne Arundel County.