Third conviction in '07 Zephyrhills home invasions

DADE CITY — Andre Brathwaite, who directed authorities to two men who were ultimately convicted of raping two Zephyrhills retirees in 2007, pleaded guilty Friday to reduced charges.

Brathwaite, 21, originally was charged with home invasion robbery in an attack on a 66-year-old woman in her mobile home. But Brathwaite, investigators said, sat in the car while his two friends broke in, riffled through the woman's belongings and took turns raping her.

A few weeks later, another woman was brutalized in a similar attack, which authorities say Brathwaite was not involved in. But when the seriousness of the cases became clear, Brathwaite came forward with names: Bobby Black and Jathniel McMichael.

With the help of Brathwaite's testimony, those two men were each tried and convicted in both attacks and sentenced to life in prison.

In exchange for his cooperation, Brathwaite was allowed to plead guilty to a reduced charge of residential burglary, as well as drug possession and was sentenced to a little less than four years in prison.

Assistant State Attorney Manny Garcia said the victim in the first case consented to Brathwaite's plea deal.