Lawton man accused of hiding gun that shot 8-year-old, child neglect

A 20-year-old Lawton man is accused of hiding the gun used in the Dec. 10, 2023, shooting of an 8-year-old, as well as exposing an 8-month-old to a home with accessible guns and drugs.

Jeremiah Dearing made his initial appearance Friday in Comanche County District Court where he was charged with felony counts of accessory to a shooting with intent to kill and child neglect, records indicate. The child neglect charge is punishable by up to life in prison.

In the shooting case, it follows the 2023 incident that led to the Dec. 19, 2023, charge of shooting with intent to kill against Jullian Ramone Phillips, 31, of Lawton. He is accused of shooting a car that driven by Nichole Groshong who was making a DoorDash delivery with her 8-year-old son, Zack, and 10-year-old song, Waylon, riding with her, along with her mother-in-law. While out, they were looking at Christmas lights in the 900 block of Southwest 35th Street.

Phillips told police he saw the car stopped and went in reverse when he heard gun shots. According to the probable cause affidavit, he told police he grabbed an “AK type” rifle and fired rounds, striking the car and the 8-year-old in the head.

The gun was not recovered.

While Phillips has been in jail on $1 million bond, he spoke through video call with Dearing; Phillips is in a relationship with Dearing’s mother, the affidavit states.

During the communications, Dearing showed signs of affiliation with the 107 Hoover Crips and held up a Draco AK 47 pistol that is believed to have been used in the December 2023 shooting, according to the affidavit. Dearing is also considered a suspect in an August shooting where an automatic weapon was, Lawton Police Deatective Hunter Phillips stated.

A search warrant conducted at Dearing’s home turned up the automatic weapon as well as a .40 caliber pistol, a 9mm pistol, and two AR style pistols with modifications with four of the five weapons chamber loaded and two were not on safe mode, the affidavit states. They were lying in a baby bouncer seat inside Dearing’s room in proximity to his 8-month-old child who was crawling on the ground, the affidavit states. Other gun accessories were also found in the room as well as a bag with 92 fentanyl pills and bags of marijuana. Phillips stated there were dogs who had not been left out often with feces and urine on the floor and an infestation of cockroaches in the home.

Dearing is being held on $35,000 bond with the stipulation he have no contact with the child without DHS approval. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Jan. 6, 2025.