Lake Worth teen gets three years in robbery, shooting

One of three teens accused of participating in a robbery and shooting during a drug deal in April was sentenced Thursday to three years in prison.

Jelani Louistaffari Nembhard, of Lake Worth, was 17 when he and two other teens allegedly lured a man into the car they were in under the guise of selling him marijuana outside a home on Minnesota Street, south of Lantana Road and west of Federal Highway.

The alleged victim said they then sped off, robbed him at gunpoint of $2,000, pushed him out of the car and then shot at the alleged robbery victim and another man in a subsequent car chase that ended with a three-car pileup.

The three teens ran from the car after the incident, according to the arrest report, but police were able to catch Nembhard and the alleged shooter, Ecclesiastes Samuels. The third teen escaped.

Samuels denied taking part in the shooting, robbery or kidnapping, but Nembhard told police he and the others had planned to rob the victim.

As part of a plea agreement between Assistant State Attorney Emily Walters and defense attorney Deaina Brown, Nembhard pleaded guilty to an armed robbery charge. Prosecutors in exchange agreed to drop two attempted murder charges against him, along with one count each of armed false imprisonment and armed kidnapping.

Circuit Judge Glenn Kelley sentenced Nembhard as a youthful offender to three years in prison and another year on probation.

Samuels is awaiting trial. The next hearing in his case is March 26.

Prosecutors agreed to drop two attempted murder charges.