All but five years to serve for gang member in retaliatory drive by

By Linda Cicoira

A young Painter area man was sentenced to 20 years in prison Thursday in Accomack Circuit Court for conspiracy to shoot at an occupied dwelling and participating in a crime as part of a street gang in 2023.

Twenty-four-year-old Quaizal Kylik Kellam, also known as Front or Frontline, of Seaside Road, was given 10 years for the conspiracy charge and 10 years for the gang offense.

All but five years of the term for conspiracy were suspended. Upon release, Kellam will be on supervised probation for two years and good behavior for five years.

Kellam was denied bond in August 2024 because he was said to be a danger to the community. He pleaded guilty to the two charges at a November trial in a plea agreement. Twelve other counts, including malicious wounding, were not prosecuted.

The charges were related to a drive-by shooting along A.S. West Road, near Painter. The retaliatory incidents were in response to the murder of a gang member’s relative.

Prosecutor Spencer Morgan said Kellam did not participate in the crimes after learning about what was being planned. Morgan said the home was shot at multiple times, and that dozens of bullet casings and cartridges were found at the site and were collected from two co-defendants.