An Orlando man who pled guilty to carjacking an individual at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Tampa is facing up to life in prison in the case.
Rodney Devon Jones, 28, pled guilty to carjacking and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence this week.
According to court records, on September 28, 2021, Jones and two other individuals visited the casino, which is located at 5223 Orient Road in Tampa. While the men were in the parking garage at the casino, the men jumped out of a stolen Toyota, pointed guns at a victim, and stole his wallet and jewelry.
The trio demanded that the victim identify his car and, after the victim pointed to an Alfa Romeo in the garage, one of the men used the victim’s car keys to open it. The man drove off in the stolen vehicle, while Jones and other man followed in the stolen Toyota.
Two days after the incident, officers from the Orlando Police Department arrested Jones after they found in the stolen Toyota.
During his arrest, the officers recovered a firearm with Jone’s DNA near the car.
Jones faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison for the carjacking offense, as well as a minimum mandatory term of 7 years, and up to life, imprisonment on the firearm offense.