The fourth defendant, who took a plea deal in exchange for testifying against his co-defendants, Robert Allen, has been sentenced to seven (7) years in jail for his role in the murder of Florida rapper XXXTentacion.
Allen had pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and cooperated with police to help bring his co-defendants, Michael Boatwright, 28, Deidrick Williams, 26, and Trayvon Newsome, 24, to justice for the shooting death of XXXTentacion in 2018 during a robbery.
Allen was sentenced on Wednesday, and as expected, he received a shorter sentence than his counterparts who were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole last month.
According to news reports, Robert Allen, who has been in prison since 2018, received credit for time served, so his seven (7) year sentence has been reduced, and he is expected to serve two-three years more before he is a free man.
Although taking into consideration his remorse at the events and his cooperation with authorities, he was still placed on a 20-year probation order after release from jail.
Back in April, Judge Michael Usan had sentenced Allen’s co-defendants to spend the rest of their lives in prison as they contemplate the death of the “Moonlight” rapper, who was killed during a robbery at Riva Motorsports in South Florida.
During the trial, Allen testified that he had been paid $5000 from the $50,000 looted from XXXTentacion after he was shot.
Allen was instrumental in helping the state to establish beyond a reasonable doubt that the other defendants were the men seen on camera in the store and in a car in the parking lot minutes before the rapper was killed.
His testimony on the stand was that he was sent to the store to confirm the rapper’s identity after his co-defendant Williams recognized the rapper’s fancy BMW in the parking lot.
After he told him it was indeed XXX, Allen said he warned the men that they would get caught if they did anything because they were on camera in the store. However, Williams convinces the others to commit the robbery and even plans an elaborate scheme to use their car to block him in.
“They drive around and as they (XXX and his uncle) are coming out, Deidrick blocks him off. Michael Boatwright and Trayvon Newsome get out and rob him,” Allen said.
“He (Boatwright) has his rifle stuck in the car,” “(Newsome) he’s pulling on XXX’s necklace,” and “(Newsome) reaches inside to grab the bag, as he grabs the bag, shots are fired,” Allen told jurors.
Allen also shared that he did not receive an equal share of the money because Williams felt his contribution to the entire thing was not deserving of any money.
“He actually said I wasn’t going to get anything at all…(Boatwright) said you gotta give him something, he was there,” Allen said as he revealed that Boatwright handed him $5,000.
