SNOW HILL — The last of five suspects arrested last June in connection with a stabbing incident on the Boardwalk was sentenced on Wednesday to 10 years in jail.
In April, Xavier Spence, 19, of Cambridge, pleaded guilty to second-degree assault for his role in the beatdown on the Boardwalk last June 9. Back in court on Wednesday, Spence was sentenced to 10 years in jail. Spence was part of a larger group of five suspects involved in the incident and reportedly was observed hitting the victim with a skateboard.
Last June 9 between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m., Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers responded to two serious assaults on the Boardwalk including one at 11th Street and one at 15th Street. In the 15th Street incident, the victim was stabbed in the back. OCPD officers determined the same group of individuals were responsible for both assaults.
The OCPD Major Crimes Unit continued the investigation and using City Watch surveillance images obtained from Boardwalk cameras were able to capture images of additional suspects in the two incidents. The images were released to the public via social media and local media outlets and OCPD detectives received numerous citizen tips. Working with allied law enforcement agencies throughout the Eastern Shore, the other suspects in the two Boardwalk assault incidents were ultimately identified and arrested.
One of the suspects, later identified as Marquis Demby, 22, of Lincoln, Del., was apprehended soon after the incident at 15th Street. A knife used in the stabbing incident was recovered during his arrest. Demby was charged with first-degree assault and other counts. In November, Demby pleaded guilty to second-degree assault and was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
In March, another suspect, Orlando Nichols, Jr., 20, of Cambridge, pleaded guilty to second-degree assault and was sentenced to 10 years, all but six of which were suspended. He was also placed on probation for three years upon his release and was ordered to pay $1,990 in restitution.
In December, another suspect, Davione Cephas, 20, of Cambridge, also pleaded guilty to second-degree assault for his role in the incident. Cephas was sentenced to 10 years, with all but six years suspended. He was also placed on supervised probation for three years after release.
Earlier this month, Marcus Butler, 27, of Cambridge, pleaded guilty to second-degree assault for his role in the incident and was sentenced to 10 years, all but seven of which were suspended.
