A Roxbury woman will serve at least six months in jail, with the potential for another two years behind bars if she doesn’t abide by the conditions of a four-year probationary term set after her conviction for misleading police after her 8-year-old son was shot to death, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said today.

Assistant District Attorney David Deakin, Conley’s chief child abuse prosecutor, recommended a 2½-year jail term for LAKEISHA GADSON (D.O.B. 8/17/76) following her conviction for misleading a police officer – a crime under Massachusetts’ witness intimidation statute – after her son, Liquarry Jefferson, was shot to death by a young cousin as they played with Gadson’s older son’s unregistered, unsecured, loaded handgun.

Deakin recommended that Gadson serve one year behind bars with the balance suspended for three years, further recommending that she be ordered to complete a parenting class and abide by any orders imposed by the Department of Children and Families regarding her remaining three children.

Suffolk Superior Court Judge Thomas Connors imposed the shorter jail term, but noted that “The court cannot overlook the fact that the defendant has 19 convictions in 11 separate incidents over a period of more than 10 years, including several assaultive felonies.”

Gadson went to trial last month on manslaughter and related offenses, with prosecutors presenting evidence and testimony that she knew her eldest son, JAYQUAN McCONNICO (D.O.B. 10/29/91), was storing the Norinco 9mm semiautomatic handgun in a low-standing bedroom dresser. For his part, McConnico pleaded guilty to all charges in 2008 after being indicted as a youthful offender.

Gadson was acquitted Aug. 10 of all charges but one, with the jury convicting her of allowing McConnico to move the gun and ammunition before calling 911 and subsequently telling police that three black men in hooded sweatshirts had burst into her Seaver Street home, gone to the back bedroom, and shot Jefferson before fleeing.

“As her son was dying, her first instinct was to lie and cover up the truth,” Conley said. “Putting that aside for a moment, consider what might have happened if three innocent men had been detained based on the description she gave. Lying to police to stymie an investigation is a crime against the community and a crime against public justice.”

Philip Harrison was the DA’s assigned victim-witness advocate. Gadson was represented at trial by attorney Peter Krupp.