Man pleads guilty to lesser charges in fatal Short North shooting

COLUMBUS, Ohio ( WCMH ) – A man arrested just over one year ago in connection to a fatal Shorth North shooting has pleaded guilty to reduced charges.

According to a spokesperson with the Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office said that Quron Boston pleaded guilty to one count of involuntary manslaughter and one count of tampering with evidence in connection with the fatal shooting of 21-year-old Arther Pickens.

Boston, originally charged with murder, was arrested by U.S. Marshals Service deputies on Sept. 19, 2023.

Pickens was found lying on the ground in the 900 block of North High Street after officers heard gunfire at 2:34 a.m. on May 14. Police reported that a large group of individuals fled the scene but soon afterward a witness identified Boston as the shooter .

Boston was detained four months later by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Ohio State Highway Patrol in the 1400 block of East Hudson Street.

Included in his plea is a three-year firearm specification, which could make the maximum sentence for all three charges up to 17 years in prison. A hearing is scheduled for Oct. 17.

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