Married Man Gets 60 Years In Jail For Shooting Girlfriend

UPPER MARLBORO, MD -- Corey Balam, 41, of Capitol Heights was sentenced Friday, Jan. 31, for shooting his girlfriend in the head in 2018, according to a release from Prince George's County's Office of the State’s Attorney. All but 30 years of the sentence was suspended.

Balam pleaded guilty in November 2019 to attempted second degree murder, second degree assault and use of a firearm in a crime of violence for the Oct. 23, 2018, assault of his girlfriend.

After becoming enraged with the victim over a disagreement, Balam punched her in the face, dragged her to a closet and placed a pillow over her head, before shooting her in the back of the head. The victim survived and, according to the release, Balam, who was married, drove his girlfriend to the hospital and fled the scene.

“We have an excellent team of attorneys in our Special Victims and Family Violence Unit and I am pleased with the results in this case," said State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy, in a statement. "I am also grateful that our victim not only survived, but had the courage to come forward and stay the course during the prosecution of her abuser. Mr. Balam has been in and out of prison with decades of increased violence against women in multiple jurisdictions. He will no longer be in a position to harm women."

As part of Friday's sentence, Bala will be on supervised probation for five years after his release. He must also register on the gun registry.