A man charged locally in a sex-trafficking case was sentenced Thursday to almost six years in prison for the crime, a sentence he'll serve concurrently with a 13-year term for second-degree murder.
Davonte Bobo, 25, was arrested in May 2016 after he communicated with members of Rochester's Street Crimes Unit; he also was a suspect in a sex trafficking case in St. Paul.
Bobo offered to be a pimp for a local undercover officer, the reports say, and said he could provide her with crack cocaine.
A meeting was arranged at a Rochester motel, where Bobo and Christopher Rayshawn Calloway were arrested. Bobo was carrying cocaine, cash and condoms.
His 70-month prison term for attempting to solicit prostitution of an individual comes about a month after his sentencing in Ramsey County for his role in the murder of a 16-year-old St. Paul girl.
ADVERTISEMENT
Bobo and Calloway both have been convicted of one count each of second-degree murder and aggravated first-degree robbery in connection with the shooting death Sept. 25 of Samantha Leah Burnette.
Bobo posted $30,000 conditional bond two days after his May 14, 2016, arrest in Rochester, then traveled back to St. Paul.
He and Calloway, of South St. Paul, were taken into custody a few hours after Burnette, a junior at Minnetonka High School, died in her sister's arms after their friend set them up to be robbed. The Ramsey County Medical Examiner said Burnette bled to death from gunshot wounds to the lungs and heart.
The friend, Kalisa Chardale Smith, 29, also of South St. Paul, was charged with second-degree murder and first-degree robbery for her role in the crime. She remains in custody in lieu of $1 million bond.
Brittany Rock, 21, told investigators she was driving Smith's car the night of the murder as Smith sat in the passenger seat. Burnette, Rock's sister, sat behind the driver and a fourth female sat behind Smith.
After driving around all night and drinking, Smith directed Rock to the alley behind a home in St. Paul, where she said she had to meet someone. Smith left the car, the complaint says, and almost immediately, three men appeared. One — later identified as Calloway — got into the passenger seat, pulled out a gun and said, "give me everything," as another man — Bobo — stood at the rear passenger door.
Calloway stole two cellphones from the females, then pistol-whipped Rock before she was able to run from the car.
Calloway and Smith both claimed Burnette, who'd been sleeping, woke up during the robbery and hit Calloway in the head with a bottle.
ADVERTISEMENT
Calloway and Bobo both fired shots at her, the complaint says; it's believed the other back seat passenger pulled Burnette from the car. Paramedics pronounced her dead in the alley a short time later.
Smith returned to the car and drove off with Calloway inside but crashed the car into a guardrail a short time later. The cellphone stolen from Rock was located nearby.
Later that morning, Smith called 911 and reported she'd been a victim of an assault by Calloway; she, Calloway, Bobo and the third man all were arrested soon after.
Though Smith initially denied knowing the robbery was planned, she eventually admitted knowing about it but claimed she didn't know anyone would be shot.
Bobo denied knowing about the robbery or even having a weapon until an investigator told him the autopsy showed Burnette had been shot with two different guns, and the shots came from two different directions.
He eventually claimed his own gun "just went off" when Calloway started shooting, the court document says.
Calloway was sentenced Aug. 11 to consecutive terms of 228 months and 132 months, with credit for 321 days already served.