Commonwealth's Attorney

On December 20, 2024, Jasir Mylik Ward was sentenced to 5 years in prison, with 20 years suspended. After release from prison, he will be on supervised probation for two years, and must not get any new criminal convictions for 20 years. This sentence comes after Ward had been found guilty of three felonies based on this incident — abduction, unlawful creation of a nude image, and conspiracy to abduction — in September of 2024.

This case stems from a 2023 incident where Ward and another individual assaulted and threatened a 15-year-old high school student, forced the student to remove their clothing, recorded it on video, and then shared the video with others. During the incident, Ward referred to his “strip gang” and made threats of further physical assaults if the victim did not comply with his demands. Meanwhile Ward’s co-conspirator “stood guard” nearby to ensure the victim could not get away. The victim was finally allowed to leave, after which Ward shared the video with others who were known to the victim.

At today’s sentencing hearing, Judge Bryant Sugg heard and considered evidence from both sides. Recognizing the severity of the trauma inflicted by an act like this, and the meaningful victim impact statement submitted by the victim’s mother, Judge Sugg imposed 5 years of prison time, exceeding Ward’s sentencing guidelines which had a suggested high-end of 2 years and 8 months.