NORRISTOWN, Pa. (KYW Newsradio) — A Lansdale woman will serve at least nine months behind bars for lying to a grand jury and helping her boyfriend and another man after they killed someone on the Schuylkill River Trail.
A judge on Wednesday sentenced Hailey Covelens, 21, to nine to 23 months in Montgomery County Correctional Facility. She pleaded guilty in August to perjury before the grand jury investigating the March 2, 2023, killing of 25-year-old Daquan Tucker.
Her boyfriend, Cody Reed, and another man, Marquise Johnson, were convicted in June of first-degree murder after authorities say they shot Tucker to death on March 2, 2023. Covelens also pleaded guilty to helping the two of them while they were on the run.
Covelens told the court she was working two jobs, trying to get her life back together and had cut off contact with people she associated with her previous lifestyle and anyone else who might be a bad influence.
But prosecutor Kathleen McLaughlin pointed out Covelens had served jail time for lying to buy Reed a gun.
“We do have information that she has still been in contact with Cody Reed throughout his trial after his conviction,” said McLaughlin, “so we have doubt that she is as remorseful.”
While Covelens’ attorney argued for probation or house arrest, the judge sided with McLaughlin. She argued lying to a grand jury must be taken seriously, as the system relies on people telling the truth.
“On top of that, it wasn't just for any crime that she lied about. This was for people who were wanted for murder and who were on the run,” said the prosecutor. “Every single day that they were on the run, they presented a risk to the community.”
Johnson and Reed were both sentenced to life in prison in August. Johnson’s girlfriend, Brianna Radley, received the same sentence as Covelens last month after pleading to the same charges.