Son Sentenced To 20 Years For Tampa Carjackings

Tampa’s streets are no safer as another chilling tale of violence unfolds. Anthony Phillips III, 18, has been handed a 20-year sentence for a string of violent carjackings he and his father committed in the city.

On New Year’s Day 2018, the Phillips patriarchs struck fear into the hearts of Tampa residents with their brazen tactics. They stripped and pistol-whipped a victim and threatened to harm his family if he dared to contact law enforcement. Two days later, they made off with a car from a pediatrician’s parking lot in St. Petersburg, Florida, holding firearms against two parents as they begged for the safe return of their infant.

Phillips III pleaded guilty on March 14, 2019, while his father, Anthony Phillips, Jr., 39, entered a plea on July 16, 2018, receiving a similar sentence. Their actions were part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which aims to reduce violent crime in communities.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the St. Petersburg Police Department, and the United States Marshals Service investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Natalie Hirt Adams was responsible for prosecution.

U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez coordinates PSN efforts in the Middle District of Florida, working alongside federal, state, and local law enforcement officials to combat crime.

This sentence sends a clear message: Violent crimes like these will not be tolerated, and those who commit them face serious consequences.

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