Young man pleads guilty in Northampton to crimes in drive-by shooting

By Linda Cicoira

A 19-year-old Onancock man pleaded guilty Monday in Northampton Circuit Court to four counts of shooting at occupied dwellings in the New Roads area of Exmore in 2023.

While Khamaari Khalil Rogers, of Savageville Road, did not fire a gun, he was operating the vehicle during the drive-by incident that had six victims and involved four houses near or on Ruth Wise and Frederick Douglas roads, said Commonwealth’s Attorney Jack Thornton.

A round came through the wall at one residence and went into a ceiling. At another house, a round went through the bedroom window of the owner’s son while he was sleeping at around 3 a.m. and landed in a doorframe. No one was injured.

Rogers’ pleas came in a bargaining agreement with Thornton. Several other charges were not prosecuted. He is free on bond with electronic monitoring and is prohibited from visiting the New Roads area. A presentence report was ordered. Sentencing was set for May 27. Restitution has not yet been determined. The maximum sentence for the crimes is 40 years in prison and $12,000 in fines.

Thornton said a primary concern is the possible link to gang activity. “The commonwealth sincerely hopes that this incident has gotten Mr. Rogers’ attention and he continues to be a protective member of society.”

In another case, 26-year-old Henry Soto Bruno, of Passaic, N.J., pleaded no contest to hit and run in connection with a February 2024 incident. Judgement was deferred pending a year-long stint of good behavior, at which time he would be convicted of a misdemeanor instead of a felony. He admitted to authorities that he “was high” when he struck another vehicle and kept going. Bruno was given until May to pay $1,000 in restitution.

Sixty-six-year-old Alvarez Gonzales, who is being held in the Norfolk City Jail, pleaded guilty to failing to register as a sex offender. Sentencing was scheduled for June 16. According to testimony, he was convicted of taking indecent liberties with children in 1998 in Norfolk City Circuit Court. He could be sentenced to a maximum of five years in prison and be fined up to $2,500.