A 15-year-old girl was sentenced April 13 to 20 years in prison for the fatal shooting of a man during what police called a “botched robbery.”
The teen, who The Sun is not identifying due to her age, was 13 at the time of the shooting.
She was indicted in June 2024 on a charge of first-degree murder in the death of Wilber Perez.
According to the indictment, police responded on April 19, 2024, to 484 SE 24th Drive, just off Hawthorne Road, in reference to a vehicle crash.
Upon arrival, officers found a person, later identified as Perez, dead from a gunshot wound.
The teen, as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors, pleaded no contest to charges of manslaughter, robbery with a firearm, robbery while armed with a firearm, and possession of a firearm by a minor. She was sentenced by Judge Denise Ferrero to a mandatory minimum of 20 years in state prison followed by 10 years of probation. She was given 685 days of credit for time served.
In a victim impact statement provided by the State Attorney’s Office for the Eighth Judicial Circuit, Perez’ mother, Gloria, described her son as a loving father and talented young man whose death has devastated their family and left his children without a parent.
She said his loss has brought lasting grief, fractured family bonds and caused deep emotional pain. She called for accountability and said she placed her faith in God’s justice.
— Information in this story was previusly reported in The Sun.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: 15-year-old girl sentenced in 2024 fatal shooting in Alachua County
Reporting by Staff report, Gainesville Sun / The Gainesville Sun
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By Staff report, Gainesville Sun | USA TODAY Network
