Howard County State's Attorney's Office

Howard County State's Attorney's Office Our office is responsible for the prosecution of all criminal cases in Howard County, MD.

Today, we join communities around the world in recognizing , a time to remember those we have lost to overdose, support...
08/31/2026

Today, we join communities around the world in recognizing , a time to remember those we have lost to overdose, support the families and loved ones left behind, celebrate those in recovery, and continue working together to end the stigma surrounding substance use disorder.

Tonight, Howard County State’s Attorney Rich Gibson will join state and county leaders and other community members at Howard County’s 11th Annual International Overdose Awareness Day event at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Ellicott City.

This year’s theme, “25 Years On. Still Needed.”, is an important reminder that while progress has been made, our work is far from finished.

The evening begins outdoors from 6:00–7:00 p.m. with community resources, naloxone training, an overdose response demonstration, healing activities and refreshments. The indoor program follows from 7:00–8:30 p.m. and will feature remarks from state and county leaders, journeys of healing and hope from family members, a memorial slideshow and a candlelight vigil.

Location: St. John’s Episcopal Church
9120 Frederick Road, Ellicott City, MD 21042

We hope you’ll join us tonight as we remember those we've lost, honor those in recovery, support families, and recommit ourselves to saving lives.

CASE UPDATE: Kennard Mekhi White Found Guilty on All Counts in 2023 Columbia MurderHOWARD COUNTY, MD (August 26, 2026) -...
08/27/2026

CASE UPDATE: Kennard Mekhi White Found Guilty on All Counts in 2023 Columbia Murder

HOWARD COUNTY, MD (August 26, 2026) - A Howard County jury found Kennard Mekhi White guilty on all counts in connection with the December 2023 shooting that killed 18-year-old Jeremiah Isaiah Darden and wounded another man in Columbia.

White was convicted of charges including first-degree murder, attempted murder, and weapons offenses stemming from the December 17, 2023 shooting.

On that evening, Darden and three friends were gathered in the stairwell of an apartment building on Woodpark Lane when multiple gunshots were fired toward the group. Darden and a second victim, a 20-year-old Columbia man, were transported to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center. Darden died from his injuries. The second victim survived and was later released from the hospital. The two other men in the stairwell were not struck.

Evidence presented at trial showed that White had been attempting to purchase a firearm from an individual who lived in the same apartment building. The victims had no known connection to White and were not the intended targets of the shooting.

Investigators linked White to the shooting through surveillance video, cell phone and electronic records, forensic evidence recovered from a vehicle associated with the shooting, and firearm evidence. Police later recovered a 9mm handgun from underneath White's bed.

At the time he was charged with Darden's murder, White was already incarcerated in connection with an unrelated robbery, burglary, and shooting.

Sentencing is scheduled for November 23, 2026.

The Howard County State’s Attorney’s Office thanks the Howard County Police Department and all those who assisted in the investigation and prosecution of this case.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant State’s Attorneys Karen Gross and Dillon Yeung.

Congratulations to our Director of External Affairs, Yolanda Maria Vazquez! We are incredibly proud to announce that our...
08/26/2026

Congratulations to our Director of External Affairs, Yolanda Maria Vazquez!

We are incredibly proud to announce that our very own Yolanda Vazquez has been named as a 2026 Maryland Hispanic Leadership Awards Honoree in the Government category, representing our office!

Presented by The Daily Record in partnership with the Maryland Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and ALPFA Baltimore, the Maryland Hispanic Leadership Awards recognize dynamic and impactful Hispanic leaders for their professional accomplishments, community involvement and commitment to mentoring.

Those qualities are at the heart of Yolanda's work both inside and outside the Howard County State's Attorney's Office.

For more than seven years as our Director of External Affairs and Public Information Officer, Yolanda has worked to make government more accessible and responsive to the diverse communities we serve. She has advocated for increased Hispanic and Latino representation within our office, helped expand Spanish-language outreach materials and worked with others to organize our office's first Hispanic Heritage Month celebration.
Her commitment to Maryland's Hispanic and Latino community extends far beyond her professional responsibilities.

As Chair of the Howard County La Alianza Latina Commission, Yolanda has made language access and meaningful representation key priorities, while working collaboratively with other communities to expand access to government information and resources. She also serves on Howard County's Immigrant Affairs Task Force, participates in statewide conversations surrounding immigrant affairs, and continually advocates for Hispanic and Latino voices to have a seat at the table.

Perhaps most importantly, Yolanda believes leadership comes with a responsibility to open doors for those coming behind you.
She regularly mentors and speaks with Hispanic and Latino high school and college students, including students through Howard Community College's Ambiciones and ALPFA programs. Whether sharing her own professional journey, encouraging young people to pursue leadership opportunities, recruiting interns into government/public service, or simply staying after a program to answer questions one-on-one, she makes a point of showing the next generation that they belong in spaces of influence and leadership.

Yolanda and her fellow honorees will be celebrated on October 7 at Gertrude's Restaurant at the Baltimore Museum of Art.

Please join State's Attorney Rich Gibson and our entire office in congratulating Yolanda on this tremendous and well-deserved recognition!

¡Felicidades, Yolanda! We are proud of you!

Governor Wes Moore Visits Howard County!It was great to welcome Governor Wes Moore to Howard County yesterday!State’s At...
08/18/2026

Governor Wes Moore Visits Howard County!

It was great to welcome Governor Wes Moore to Howard County yesterday!

State’s Attorney Rich Gibson and members of our office stopped by the Reckless Shepherd to meet and greet with Governor Moore and connect with others from across our community.

We always appreciate opportunities to engage with our state and local leaders and strengthen the partnerships that help make Howard County such a great place to live, work, and serve.

Thank you, Governor Moore, for stopping by Howard County!

Our last two days at the Howard County Fair were a blast! Our staff truly enjoyed getting a chance to meet with everyone...
08/16/2026

Our last two days at the Howard County Fair were a blast! Our staff truly enjoyed getting a chance to meet with everyone throughout the week and take in some fair fun! See ya next year!

A Day in the Life of a State’s Attorney...We were pleased to welcome Ibrahim Asfari, a rising junior at George Washingto...
08/13/2026

A Day in the Life of a State’s Attorney...

We were pleased to welcome Ibrahim Asfari, a rising junior at George Washington University, to our office for a day of shadowing Howard County State’s Attorney Rich Gibson.

Ibrahim spent the day getting a firsthand look at what it means to serve as the county’s chief law enforcement officer, and quickly learned that no two days are ever quite the same! His experience included sitting in on a PowerPoint planning session, attending a senior staff meeting and a restorative justice meeting, and seeing many of the other responsibilities that come with leading the State’s Attorney’s Office.

An Ellicott City native, Ibrahim is majoring in Business/International Business and aspires to attend law school. While he hasn’t yet decided which area of law he would like to pursue, experiences like this provide a great opportunity to explore the many different paths a legal career can offer.

Thanks for spending the day with us, Ibrahim! We hope you learned a lot, gained some valuable insight into the work of a prosecutor’s office, and left with a better understanding of the many possibilities ahead. We wish you all the best as you continue your journey.

Only TWO more days left to enjoy the Howard County Fair! The fair may be winding down, but there’s still plenty of time ...
08/13/2026

Only TWO more days left to enjoy the Howard County Fair!

The fair may be winding down, but there’s still plenty of time to stop by and visit the Howard County State’s Attorney’s Office/Howard County Sheriff's Office booth before it closes for another year!

Yesterday, State’s Attorney Rich Gibson stopped by our booth and spent time chatting with fairgoers, alongside Howard County Sheriffs Office Deputy Sheriffs Ready and Montgomery and Senior ASA Danielle Duclaux.

For the evening shift, Yolanda Vazquez and ASA Youngju An were on hand and enjoyed spending time with Deputy Sheriff Matthew Spencer. We also enjoyed connecting with our Howard County Police Department colleagues, Lt. Honablew, Corporal Lee and Sgt. Miller.

It was a little quiet at the fair yesterday, but we’re expecting big crowds this weekend! So come out, enjoy the food, rides, exhibits and entertainment. And be sure to stop by and say hello to our team in the air-conditioned Exhibition Hall.

Where: Howard County Fairgrounds
Time: Just TWO days left!

We look forward to seeing you at the fair!

Mystery Solved! Who’s at the HoCoSAO Fair Table Today?We kept you guessing, but the mystery has officially been solved! ...
08/11/2026

Mystery Solved! Who’s at the HoCoSAO Fair Table Today?

We kept you guessing, but the mystery has officially been solved! Deputy State’s Attorney Josh Felsen and ASA Melissa Montgomery are representing the Howard County State’s Attorney’s Office at the fair today!

They’re all decked out in their HoCoSAO office shirts and ready to meet and greet fairgoers. Stop by our table in the Main Exhibition Hall, say hello, learn a little more about what we do. And don’t forget to grab some free giveaways while you’re there!

Josh and Melissa are ready to see you, so come on by!

We’re at the Fair...and we are Waiting to See You! The Howard County Fair is underway, and staff members from the Howard...
08/11/2026

We’re at the Fair...and we are Waiting to See You!

The Howard County Fair is underway, and staff members from the Howard County State’s Attorney’s Office are taking turns at our table throughout the week!

On Monday, ASA An and Hammond, along with Deputy Sheriff Scott, were on hand greeting fairgoers, answering questions and sharing information about the work we do. Who will you find behind the table today?

There’s only one way to find out! Stop by and see us in the Main Exhibition Hall, say hello, learn more about who we are and how we serve Howard County and, of course, pick up some FREE giveaways while you’re there!

Inspiring Maryland’s Next Generation of Prosecutors! State’s Attorney Rich Gibson spent part of the day sharing some har...
08/11/2026

Inspiring Maryland’s Next Generation of Prosecutors!

State’s Attorney Rich Gibson spent part of the day sharing some hard-earned wisdom with law students interested in pursuing careers as prosecutors during the Maryland Institute for Prosecutors, hosted by the Maryland State’s Attorneys’ Association at the Maritime Institute.

Gibson joined fellow veteran prosecutors Baltimore City State's Attorney Ivan Bates, Harford County State’s Attorney Alison Healey, Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy, and St. Mary’s County State’s Attorney Jaymi Sterling in helping students better understand the profession and offering practical advice about interviewing for that all-important first prosecutor job.

Now in its second year, the three-day program brings together law students from throughout the DMV for an inside look at the work of prosecutors and Maryland’s criminal justice system. Students are soaking up plenty of “pearls of wisdom” from experienced prosecutors while also getting out of the classroom for hands-on learning, including visits to the Hargrove District Court, a shooting simulation and time with law enforcement K-9 teams.

For these future attorneys, it’s an opportunity to learn not only how to land the job, but what it truly means to serve as a prosecutor.

We’re proud to see State’s Attorney Gibson and his colleagues investing their time and experience in the next generation of public servants!

Address

9250 Judicial Way
Ellicott City, MD
21043

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+14103132108

Website

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