Felon sentenced to 38 years after leading officers on high-speed shootout on I-4

LAKELAND, Fla. (WFLA) — Lakeland police announced the federal sentencing of a violent felon who led officials in a high-speed shootout on I-4.

Francisco Cabrera, 29, of Dover, led a multi-agency task force on the chase and shootout back in January 2022.

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The “career criminal” was sentenced to 38 years in federal prison for his crime spree, officials announced.

It began on Jan. 13, 2022, when Cabrera robbed Puppy Smoke Shop in Plant City, pretending to purchase items before brandishing a firearm at the cashier, demanding money. The next day, he did the same thing at Hazy Days Smoke Shop in Brandon, demanding money from the victims at gunpoint, saying “This is for real.”

On Jan. 17, he robbed a Marathon gas station in Plant City, brandishing a pistol and demanding money, saying, “Give me the money or I will shoot you.”

Pregnant teen, grandmother allegedly killed in Florida home invasion

Two days later, Cabrera committed a carjacking at the same Marathon gas station, pointing the gun at the victims, and demanding them to get out. Despite the victims’ attempt to use a vehicle to block him in, Carbera eventually fled.

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