They weren’t safe in their own homes

In 12 years as a prosecutor, you get used to hearing stories of crime and horror. But every once in a while, you see a case that really gives you shivers. I watched a trial like that last week: United States v. Jason Scott.

Jason Scott was a student at the University of Maryland’s University College and an employee at UPS. He was smart – and evil. He used UPS databases to research homes. Then he dressed like a ninja, armed himself, and went out with his buddies to invade those homes, while the owners were home. His MO was to use a cinder block to break a window, then go inside, beat up the home owners and demand their valuables. He said this was “the new way” of doing things. Why wait for your target to go on vacation? It was so much easier to find their valuables if you broke in when they were home and you could threaten them with a gun.

In one home, he stole the cell phone of a 17-year-old girl. He looked at the pictures on her phone, and saw her friend, another 17-year-old girl who he thought was cute. He then tracked down the girl in the picture. One night, he dressed himself in his ninja outfit and broke into the girl’s home. She was home with her mother. He locked Mom up in a different room. Then he put a pillowcase on the girl’s head, tied her up, and sexually assaulted her. He videotaped the whole thing.

Luckily, he let this girl live. Others were allegedly not so lucky. He’s also being charged by the State of Maryland for killing several people during his other home invasions. (The feds generally don’t prosecute homicide.) He’s admitted to over 60 crimes.

In the case I watched, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Maryland charged Scott with carjacking, use of a firearm in a crime of violence, and the production of child pornography, among other things. The lawyering was terrific, including the U.S. Attorney, Rod Rosenstein, himself doing much of the heavy lifting. A jury came back with the verdict this afternoon: Guilty on all charges.

Sigh of relief.