Rodney Jones, Carjacking, Florida 2023

Tampa, FL - In a shocking turn of events, 28-year-old Rodney Jones has been sentenced to 21 years and 10 months in federal prison for his role in a brazen carjacking that took place in the parking garage of a hotel/casino in Tampa.

According to court documents, on September 28, 2021, Jones and two others committed the carjacking, jumping out of a stolen sedan and pointing guns at the victim. They demanded that the victim identify his car and stole his wallet and jewelry before making off in the victim's vehicle.

Two days later, an officer from the Orlando Police Department arrested Jones after finding him in the stolen sedan. A firearm with Jones's DNA on it was also recovered near the vehicle.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Seminole Police Department, with assistance from the Orlando Police Department and the Orange County Sheriff's Office. This case is part of the Middle District of Florida's Safe Trails Task Force, a partnership between the United States Attorney's Office, the FBI, the Seminole Police Department, and other federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement that works to combat the growth of crime in Indian Country.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher F. Murray and was also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence.

Jones entered a guilty plea on September 5, 2023, and was subsequently sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle. The sentence consists of 14 years and 10 months for the carjacking offense, followed by a consecutive 7-year sentence for the firearm offense.

The case is also part of the Department's violent crime reduction strategy, which was launched on May 26, 2021, and aims to strengthen the PSN program based on core principles including fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

Overall, this case serves as a testament to the tireless efforts of law enforcement agencies working together to keep our communities safe.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdfl/pr/carjacker-sentenced-more-21-years-federal-prison