Man jailed after firing twenty rounds at victim in jealous rage
Deon Ramlagan survived the attack by reversing his car away from the gunman
A Florida man has been sentenced to 25 years in prison after being found guilty of orchestrating a violent ambush against a former friend.
Brandon Pirela, 26, received his sentence on Tuesday following a trial that detailed a harrowing assassination attempt in which he fired more than 20 rounds at a man sitting in a parked car.
The incident, which took place on 1 December 2023, was the result of a calculated plot between Pirela and his co-defendant, 23-year-old Arianna Gajraj.
The pair had recently reconciled after a breakup and targeted Deon Ramlagan, whom Pirela accused of having a relationship with Gajraj.
Prosecutors revealed that Gajraj lured Mr Ramlagan to a neighbourhood in Clermont under the guise of seeking advice, only to share his live location with Pirela.
As the two sat in a vehicle, Pirela pulled up in a white sedan and opened fire. Investigators recovered 21 shell casings at the scene, noting that the victim's car was struck 13 times.
Miraculously, Mr Ramlagan managed to reverse his vehicle and escape the barrage of gunfire. Crucial evidence included text messages where Pirela allegedly declared, "no, he's dying tonight," after Gajraj expressed initial hesitation.
Gajraj ultimately cooperated with authorities and testified against her former partner. She has since been sentenced to three years in prison, followed by six years of probation.
Following this conviction, the State Attorney's Office reiterated its commitment to pursuing maximum penalties for violent conspiracies. Pirela will now serve his multi-decade term in a state correctional facility.