Jevon Blanks, 20, was sentenced to 20 years in prison followed by 10 years probation for a drive-by shooting witnessed by a Fort Myers Police Officer.
In May 2017, just after 9 p.m., Blanks drove up to the front of a house on Thomas Street, got out of the car and started shooting. There were people in front of the house and two women in a car parked in the driveway. Bullets hit the house and went through the back windshield of the car in the driveway. One woman in the car had her ear nicked by a bullet.
A Fort Myers Police Officer patrolling nearby heard the shots and drove towards them. He witnessed the defendant shooting and saw he was wearing a red blinking light around his neck. The defendant then got back in the car and drove off. The officer followed in pursuit until the defendant crashed his car into a rental car with two tourists inside.
Blanks then jumped out of the car and fled on foot. The officer ran after him and caught him. The defendant was still wearing the red blinking light around his neck. Blanks had thrown his gun during the foot chase but it was recovered by officers. The defendant’s DNA was on the gun and it was confirmed as the gun used in the shooting.
Blanks was found guilty following a three-day trial in May and sentenced this week to the following;
Count 1: Attempted Second Degree Murder- 20 years in prison followed by 10 years of probation
Count 2: Attempted Second Degree Murder- 20 years in prison followed by 10 years of probation
Count 3: Shooting at within or into an Occupied Vehicle- 15 years in prison
Count 4: Shooting at within or into a Dwelling- 15 years in prison Count 5: Fleeing or Eluding an Officer with Lights and Sirens with High Speed or Reckless
Driving- 15 years in prison and one year driver’s license suspension
Count 6: No Driver’s License- 60 days in jail
The defendant will serve all of his sentences concurrently. He must also have no contact with the
victims and must forfeit all firearms and ammunition to the arresting agency.
Assistant State Attorneys Leena Marcos and Brenda Wade handled the case.
Samantha Syoen
Communications Director
State Attorney’s Office
ssyoen@sao20.org
239-533-1125