PRINCESS ANNE, Md. - Princess Anne Town Commissioner and former Commission President Lionel Frederick was convicted Wednesday of illegally possessing a gun due to having a previous conviction.
Frederick was indicted on the illegal firearm possession charge and misdemeanor illegal possession of ammo in April of 2025. The indictment came in connection to an incident in October 2024 in which prosecutors alleged Frederick was in possession of a shotgun. Because of a previous crime of violence conviction in 2019, Frederick is barred from possessing a gun.

Commissioner Lionel Frederick.
A trial date for the charges was first scheduled on September 9, 2025, but was rescheduled to Wednesday, September 10. WBOC’s Grace Harman was in the courtroom as Frederick faced the two charges in front of a jury.
Frederick was the only defense witness called during Wednesday’s trial, arguing he was unaware that his previous conviction prohibited from owning a firearm. Prosecutors with the Somerset County State’s Attorney’s Office countered it didn’t matter whether Frederick knew or not, the fact remained he broke the law.
Much of the prosecution’s argument hinged on what constitutes a crime of violence, and if Frederick’s 2019 conviction of second-degree assault actually barred him from possessing a shotgun found in his home nearly a year ago.
Frederick testified he legally purchased the gun over a decade ago and was never directed to turn it over following the 2019 conviction.
Prosecutors argued in court that wasn’t true. The State’s Attorney’s Office presented a signed probation order from 2019 that stipulated Frederick was barred from owning a gun unless he had the court’s approval. Frederick questioned the authenticity of the signature, prompting prosecutors to ask if someone else had signed the probation order.
“It’s Somerset County, I wouldn’t put it past this court,” Frederick said.
Following about a three-hour trial, it took the jury about 30 minutes of deliberation before they returned with a guilty verdict on both counts, one a felony, one a misdemeanor. Frederick quickly left the courtroom following the verdict.
The Somerset County Circuit Court judge deferred Frederick’s sentencing to Thursday, Oct. 2, at 9:30 a.m.