15-year-old sentenced to 10 years in adult prison plus 10 years of probation for his role in shooting death at Tiger Bay Apartments in April 2024
Staff report
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Zion James, 15, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison, followed by two years of house arrest and eight years of probation, for his role in the death of Wilber Perez at Tiger Bay Apartments in April 2024.
James was charged as an adult with armed robbery, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, tampering with evidence, distributing a controlled substance, and using a two-way communications device to facilitate a felony after reportedly meeting Perez to buy marijuana, pretending to pay for it with a “Cash App glitch,” and then snatching the marijuana and running. Kemani Hill, 14, who allegedly shot Perez, has also been charged as an adult and is awaiting trial.
Update on April 5: James has been booked into the Suwannee Correctional Institution in Live Oak.
James entered an open plea of nolo contendere to all five charges in December; the plea document states that the maximum sentence for the charges is life in prison. In February, his public defender filed a motion for downward departure from the mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years, arguing that James could be sentenced as a youthful offender; had taken full responsibility for his actions; had no prior history of violence; cooperated with prosecutors; expressed regret “with what happened with the victim”; had letters of support from family, friends, and teachers; and could be sentenced to a Maximum Risk Residential program as an alternative until he reached the age of 22.
However, Judge Denise Ferrero sentenced James to two concurrent 10-year terms in state prison with credit for 273 days served, followed by two years of house arrest and eight years of probation, on the charges of armed robbery and conspiracy to commit armed robbery. She sentenced him to 5-year concurrent sentences on each of the three other charges.
Good for his ass!!!
Agreed
His crime was horrible, but both of the alleged offenders are teenagers, His brain is still growing.
Nice to see our beloved teachers writing letters of support for these little demons. 10 years isn’t enough to begin with, and anyone supporting lesser sentences should be serving time right alongside them.
I hope you feel this way if your child ever makes a mistake. He didn’t even pull the trigger. They’re children. Should he be held accountable? Absolutely. If you think this is justified or that more time should be justified you deserve to be under the jail
This kid is not going to fare well in prison. Oh well. FAFO.
Agreed!! Lmao
I hope the same happens to your kid
He didn’t receive enough prison time. At least they will get rid of his cute hairdo when he hits the reception center.
Really, too much time. Sentence needs more requirements. Oh well he’s not George Zimmerman.
Off to the big house for you Zion.
Man he going to be fighting for his life all 10 years
He going back for sure. No way he completes that sentence without a VOP.
Hahahaha
Start stretching that booty
how wide will it get?
big time I will guess.
15yrs old with 10yrs in adult prison 🤔. No rehabilitation so pretty much setting him to fail as an adult? Instead of trying to help rehabilitate this young man.he’s not the shooter so why not make him pay for his part of the unfortunate situation. The shooter will get his consequences the way God sees fit.god is a forgiving God why can’t we as people be forgiving no matter the situation especially involving our kids?
prolly should just let the poor dear go, this creature is a gang banger, prolly not his first murder either, you BD need to volunteer at a hospital or jail so you can see , with your own eyes what these animals are like .
I concur!
We’ll see him released by legal loopholes and on the streets again. Gitmo would be better. Once Cuba falls, make it like Australia used to be for, all our prisoners sent there.
Knuckle draggers here celebrating jail house rape and punishment when dollars to donuts they are happy our president avoided jail because he’s loaded and they also may have a young relative who could land in jail by mistake – or not – and for a long term – or not – who may face similar “challenges” from older, bigger inmates who cant tell a teenage boy from a woman – or who don’t want to, and in case prefer violence to flowers.
This is cruel and unusual punishment and by the constitution (8th amendment) our jails should make sure it doesn’t happen, or we as it’s owners should fined until they do. If Trump ever serves his time (he’s responsible for the attack on the capital and it’s police), he’s too fat and ugly to be jail bait of that sort, but young boys don’t have his money or luck and should be protected AT ALL COSTS FROM CRUEL and UNUSUAL PUNISHMENT, or we don’t take the constitution seriously. If we don’t, Lock Us Up!
I concur!
I’m old school u do the crime you do the time he is 15 he still have 3 years before he should be sent to adult jail so I totally disagree with that
They not like us!
Florida closed its juvenile prison in 2012. Now juvenile offenders are housed in adult facilities but housed separately from the adults. Same institution but different dorms. Same dining area, separate times. Same medical, separate times when possible.
Do they house them separately? Even when they’re charged as an adult? I’ve just seen other cases where a youth is charged as an adult offender, and they’re just put in with general pop. I was under the impression, they only had to separate them if they were high risk, like in solitary, or if they were charged as a juvenile.
GOOD RIDDANCE
was he from lincoln, i went to school with him… wow so sigma…..ts pmo, his skibidi gyat deserved tht, i got bullied by him and his 2 ft ggg gyat
Shid she blessed his ass with 10 years for killing someone he suppose to caught more then that!!!!
These are children, minors. Just think a minute, maybe they were Persuaded or even Threaten I don’t know this minors sometimes get involved with the wrong person or people. Maybe the home training just wasn’t stable, a child has rights just as an adult. Freedom of speech, incident until proven guilt. Florida Laws suck, all cause they black. I strongly disagree with the convictions n how the LAW the JUDGE OF JUSTICE handle situation as this. When THE SHOE IS ON THE OTHER FOOT THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM SEE OTHER. GOD ISN’T DEAD, HE SITS HIGH N LOOK LOW, HEAR N SEE EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE!!!!
I 👍
Why aren’t the parents charged for neglect for allowing their children to be out doing this harm? This is a result of lifelong (up to their current age) neglect. The parents should also be charged.