Pontiac teen sentenced to prison for armed robbery; victim shot to death in 2023

A Pontiac teen not too long ago acquitted of homicide will go to jail on associated convictions for armed theft and utilizing a firearm to commit the crime.

Christian Harris, 19, was sentenced Oct. 13 by Oakland County Decide Daniel O’Brien and can spend 13 to 50 years behind bars for the 2023 armed theft of Armani Terrell Baker, 22, of Waterford.

As beforehand reported, a jury discovered Harris not responsible of first-degree homicide within the demise of Baker, who was discovered fatally shot within the entrance seat of a Ford Fusion with the doorways open on Hammond Road in Pontiac.

Harris obtained a further two years behind bars on a felony firearm cost in reference to the armed theft.

Harris was 17 years previous on the time of the incident and was charged as an grownup. His first trial resulted in a mistrial final yr after the jury deliberated for 3 days and failed to succeed in a unanimous verdict. The brand new course of was accomplished on September 8.

Though Harris has been acquitted of the homicide, prosecutors nonetheless consider he’s responsible of the crime, stated Jeff Wattrick, spokesman for the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Workplace. Any choice on additional investigation might be as much as legislation enforcement, he stated, including, “our workplace just isn’t conscious of, and has not introduced to us, a reputable different idea of the crime.”

The Oakland Press has reached out to the Oakland County Sheriff’s Workplace with questions on extra investigation into Baker’s homicide however has not but heard again.

The opposite man charged with associated crimes, Jeremiah Rodriguez – 18 years previous on the time of the incident – ​​struck a cope with prosecutors and pleaded responsible in September to a further cost of aiding and abetting. Expenses of conspiracy to commit armed theft and possession of a firearm in the course of the fee of a criminal offense have been dismissed. Final month, O’Brien sentenced Rodriguez to 14 days in jail, credit score for 14 days served, and three years’ probation.

Initially printed: October 15, 2025 at 1:08 PM EDT