Seven Years in Jail for Man Involved in Armed Carjacking

ST. CROIX — Zahkeed Bright has been sentenced two seven years in prison after pleading guilty to third-degree robbery. In a deal with prosecutors, more serious charges, including attempted murder, have been dropped in exchange.

Bright was arrested in 2023 for a carjacking two years earlier, which ended in the death of his accomplice Kareem Smith. Facing a slew of charges alone, including attempted murder, first-degree assault, assault with a deadly weapon, second-degree robbery, buying, receiving or possessing stolen property, use of a dangerous weapon by a convicted felon, and several other firearm offenses, Bright decided to accept the plea deal offered by prosecutors. Under the terms of the agreement, the rest of the charges would be dropped, and Bright would serve no more than seven years of “active imprisonment.”

On Wednesday, Judge Douglas Brady sentenced Bright to the maximum term under the conditions of the deal – seven years, with a 28-day credit for time served in pre-trial detention.