A Florida man, who stabbed the captain of a commercial ship of whose crew he was a part, was sentenced on Friday to 40 months in prison. Robert Lester Odom, 47, of Pensacola, Florida, pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon with the intention of causing bodily harm.
Odom's, who was a crew member of a commercial shipping vessel, stabbed the captain of the vessel in high seas. "This vicious attack was made even more serious due to the vessel's location, so far away from help," said Lawrence Keefe, US Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, in a statement.
A Brutal Attack
According to facts revealed during the sentencing, Odom attacked and wounded the vessel's captain using a pellet rifle and a long-blade knife on September 27, 2019. When the crime was committed, the ship was at sea, approximately 20-26 nautical miles south-southeast of Perdido Pass. Two crew members and a captain were said to be on board.
When they were fishing a little before 9:30 pm, Odon unexpectedly shot the captain in the chest using the rifle. A struggle ensued between the two, following which Odom stabbed the captain twice, resulting in extensive bleeding.
Saved In the Nick of Time
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers and the United States Coast Guard responded to the call for help, and the captain received first aid from Coast Guard personnel. After this, the captain was airlifted by helicopter to the Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola.
"I'm proud of our dedicated men and women who responded to save the victim in this case, and worked with our law enforcement partners to ensure justice was served," said Rear Admiral John Nadeau, Commander, Eighth Coast Guard District.
Odom was ordered to pay the victim restitution of $12,180 as a part of the sentencing. Following the end of his imprisonment, he will have to undergo a three-year term of federal supervised release.
