Father and son get life in prison for 2011 armed robbery, carjacking

TAMPA — A father and son were both sentenced to life in prison Wednesday for robbing the co-owner of two Tampa nightclubs and his friend on E Broad Street in September 2011. The son was given an additional life sentence for armed sexual battery.

The Hillsborough County jury was told that Rakeith Brooks, 31, pistol-whipped Enrique De Jesus, co-owner of the clubs Drynk and AJA Channelside.

Brooks then assaulted a female friend. His father, Vincent Harrison, 47, yelled for Brooks to kill both victims.

The men fled in De Jesus' BMW.

In giving both men consecutive life sentences for armed robbery and carjacking, Circuit Judge Chet Tharpe told Harrison he'd have gotten a first-degree murder conviction if his son had followed his orders.

The judge told Brooks, "Make no mistake, my intention is you never leave prison as a free person."