Woman sentenced to 10 years for deadly home invasion
TAMPA, Fla. (FOX 13) - Staring at a life sentence, Taylor Pritt walked told a judge her drug use led her to her participation in a deadly home invasion.
"When you do this type of drug, it has a hold on you and it is all that matters. I'm clean and sober now. I'm putting that life behind me with a job, a house. and a car," said Pritt.
She and three others were involved in a deadly home invasion robbery last year. The homeowner was armed and shot and killed one of the robbers, Michael Caddo.
Pritt and her two co-defendants were charged with felony murder.
Pritt's little sister, Toni Caswell told the judge, Taylor has a two-year-old son who needs his mom.
"There is nothing Taylor could have done to prevent this from happening. My sister would not intentionally hurt anyone," said Caswell.
Caddo's family never spoke but listened quietly in the courtroom as Hillsborough County Judge Michelle Sisco rejected Pritt's claim that she never expected anyone to get hurt.
"'Gosh, I had no idea if I showed up to a trailer with my friends with a shot gun that something could possibly have gone wrong and someone could die.' It didn't make any sense and it doesn't fly," Judge Sisco aimed to recount.
Judge Sisco believed Pritt was a willing participant and sentenced her to 10 years behind bars.
The judge sent Pritt off with one final truth: "I could sentence you up to life in prison but I'm not going to do that so you already get a break from your poor decisions that Mr. Caddo did not get."