A Jefferson City resident has been sentenced to 120 days shock detention in prison in connection with a weapons case from September 2019.
Robert Carter, 24, pleaded guilty during a hearing before Cole County Judge Dan Green to unlawful use of a weapon.
According to prosecutors, if he is found to have followed rules while in prison for 120 days, he will be placed on probation for five years. However, if he violates conditions of his probation during that five-year period, he will return to prison facing a 15-year sentence.
Also accused in this case are Jessica Collins, 32, who is charged with accessory to the unlawful use of a weapon, and Arthur Phillips Jr., 26, who is charged with unlawful use of a weapon, armed criminal action and unlawful possession of a firearm. Collins' case is scheduled to be back in front of Judge Green later this spring, and Phillips' case is set to go before Judge Pat Joyce next month.
The incident occurred in the 200 block of West Atchison Street, where three shell casings were recovered, according to a Jefferson City Police Department probable cause statement.
Before the shooting began, a vehicle was seen driving south on Broadway Street toward the area where Phillips was, according to police review of video surveillance.
Phillips is allegedly shown firing at the vehicle at the intersection of Broadway Street and Hess Way.
Officers investigating an unrelated case Sept. 10 found the vehicle Phillips had been shooting at. The owner of the vehicle told police Carter had been a passenger in the vehicle Sept. 3 and had been in a fight with Phillips prior to the shooting.
When they drove into the area of the 200 block of West Atchison Street on Sept. 3, the two saw each other and began to shoot at each other.
Video surveillance at the apartment building reportedly shows Phillips speaking with people outside the apartment building just before the shooting. He eventually is shown with a pistol in his hand shooting several times at the vehicle before running toward the vehicle and continuing to shoot.
A search of a laundry room at the apartments turned up a handgun hidden near a washing machine; authorities believe this is the weapon Phillips used.
When interviewed by police, Phillips reportedly said Carter had shot at him and he shot back at Carter. Phillips said they were mad at each other over Carter's involvement with drugs.
During Carter's interview with authorities, he admitted to being a passenger in the vehicle from which the shots were fired and claimed Collins was the driver. The owner of the vehicle told authorities Collins had borrowed the vehicle from him and later returned it after the shooting incident.