Saleef Stevenson, the final defendant to be prosecuted, in a deadly home invasion robbery case in Charlotte County, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison, followed by 10 years of probation, on each of the following counts: Second Degree Felony Murder, First Degree Burglary While Armed, and two counts of Robbery – Possessing a Firearm.
Stevenson, who was 17 at the time of the crime, was direct filed as an adult by the State Attorney’s Office. That filing put the defendant’s case in adult court to face adult sanctions. The felony murder charge is due to a death resulting from the commission of the crime. Stevenson was also sentenced to 5 years in prison, on each of four counts of Aggravated Assault with a Firearm and two counts of Cruelty to Animals. The sentences are to be served concurrently.
Assistant State Attorney Andreas Gardiner, of the State Attorney’s Office Homicide Unit, and Assistant State Attorney Jill Kuykendall prosecuted the case.
The crime happened in May 2023 in Port Charlotte. Around 11 p.m., the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of shots fired inside a home involving an active home invasion robbery taking place. As they were responding they received information that the suspects were running from the scene. As deputies arrived, they saw a man dead in the street, who was later determined to be one of the suspects. Three other suspects who fled were quickly apprehended nearby.
The investigation revealed that the suspects targeted the home and broke in, armed with guns, demanding cash, from the four people inside. They aimed their guns at the residents and also shot two dogs who lived in the home. One dog later died. One of the victims shot a suspect during the robbery, Barsher Smith, who was the man found dead in the street.
Two other defendants were prosecuted for this crime. Shazear Alond Rohn-Duallah Mears, received the same sentence, on the same charges as Stevenson. Leah Kirsten Jenness was sentenced to 12.5 years in prison followed by 12.5 years of probation for Second Degree Felony Murder, First Degree Burglary While Armed, two counts of Robbery – Possessing a Firearm, and four counts of Aggravated Assault with a Firearm.
Samantha Syoen – State Attorney’s Office Communications Director