The son of a newly-elected Miami-Dade commissioner was sentenced to prison after pleading guilty on Tuesday to shooting an officer more than three years ago.
Steve Gallon IV pleaded guilty to attempted first-degree murder in the March 8, 2023 shooting at a hearing in open court where he allowed the judge to decide his sentencing.
He had been facing up to 30 years in prison but was given a much lesser sentence of 60 months with credit for time served.
Gallon, now 36, has been behind bars since his arrest in 2023.
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Steve Gallon IV in court in 2023.
“I’m glad it’s over, it’s been three and a half years that this family has been going through this ordeal,” defense attorney Roderick Vereen said after the hearing.
Gallon is the son of Steve Gallon III, a former Miami-Dade School Board member who was recently elected to the Miami-Dade Board of Commissioners and takes office in January.
Authorities said the officer, Sgt. Darrian Washington, was conducting an undercover drug investigation when he was “ambushed” from behind.
The officer was shot in the back of the head but the bullet just grazed him, officials said.
Vereen later argued that police were chasing Galloon and another suspect with no lights, in a high crime neighborhood, with no insignia.
“There’s no evidence that he knew that Sergeant Washington was a police officer. There was enough fault to go around,” Vereen said Tuesday. “It was something very unintentional.”