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Fairfax County resident Jovan Ali, 45, was found guilty by a jury last month of second-degree assault in connection to a stabbing in April.
On Thursday, Dec. 5, the Montgomery County State's Attorney's Office announced that Ali has been sentenced to seven years in prison after being caught on camera by the drone.
Prosecutors say that on April 17, Ali was involved in an altercation near the intersection of Georgia Avenue and Sligo Avenue in Silver Spring, which was witnessed by a Montgomery County Police officer.
There was also a Montgomery County Police drone above that captured Ali pulling a knife from his pocket and stabbing an adult male in the shoulder area.
The victim’s injuries were not life-threatening, but he required surgery, investigators noted.
In video released by the department, Ali can be seen assaulting his victim and then he was followed for several blocks by the drone until he was ultimately apprehended.
It marks the first conviction in a jury trial in Montgomery County resulting from the "Drone as a First Responder Program."
"Montgomery County’s Drone as First Responder (DFR) Program deploys drones to active scenes, allowing officers to remotely monitor situations, gather evidence, and coordinate response efforts in real-time," officials said.
"The DFR Program aims to enhance officer and community safety, improve response times, and provide crucial aerial perspectives to support criminal investigations."
Montgomery County State's Attorney John McCarthy said the drone video was "critical" for prosecutors, and that they would not have been able to prove Ali's guilt without it.
"The value of this technology is immeasurable when it comes to public safety," he said. "It is a game-changer within the criminal justice system."
Police Capt. Nicholas Picerno called the DFR Program a "transformative tool."
"It allows us to respond more quickly, enhance situational awareness, and ultimately increase the safety of officers and community members," he said.
“In this case, the drone footage was invaluable in securing the conviction.
"This technology is a major asset to our operations, providing capabilities that were previously unimaginable,” he added. “This is another example of how officers, supplied with real-time intelligence, make better informed decisions.”
Ali was facing up to 10 years in prison.
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