A Gary man was sentenced to 13 years Thursday for shooting a man in the leg inside a gas station, court records show.
It started as a fight with friends on Aug. 22, 2020, that spiraled into a deadly shooting.
Roy C. Akins III, now 22, signed a plea agreement in March admitting to aggravated battery, a Level 3 felony. He faced up to 16 years. He was the last defendant sentenced in the case.
Akins admitted shooting at Rayvon Harris, 29, of Gary, wounding him in the leg. Akins was 17 at the time. Court records show he was arrested on May 8, 2023.
The triggerman, Courtney Moss, got 65 years in July 2022. Another co-defendant, Myles S. Thomas, was sentenced to 10 years in August 2022 after pleading guilty to aggravated battery; Willie Jones, Jr., who threw the first punch at Harris, got four years in September 2022 after a plea for battery resulting in serious bodily injury.
Another woman, Alexis Miller, who unwittingly hung out and gave a ride to Jones and his friends, including from the gas station, pleaded guilty to assisting a criminal. She was sentenced to one year of probation in March 2023, records show.
Police were called around 3 a.m. Aug. 22, 2020, to the Save gas station, 4500 Broadway Ave., in Gary.
Harris was found shot dead inside, wearing a backpack, still holding money in his hand, the affidavit states. Police recovered Harris’ $12,000 in cash, marijuana and a scale.
Court records indicated Harris and Thomas looked like they were going to fight before Jones went up and punched Harris, the affidavit alleges.
Jones said he was grabbing a drink from the back as he heard Harris be “really disrespectful” and “use profanity” with Moss and two other friends, so he joined the fight, charges allege.
Jones also ended up getting shot in the leg, charges allege.
Deputy Prosecutor Jovanni Miramontes was assigned and Defense lawyer Michael Woods represented Akins. The case was before Judge Salvador Vasquez.
mcolias@post-trib.com
